Living on islands makes animals tamer

[News Bot]

Biologists have found that island lizards are "tame" compared to their mainland relatives, confirming Charles Darwin's observations of island tameness. Darwin had noted that island animals often acted tame, and presumed that they had evolved to be so after coming to inhabit islands that lacked most predators. The researchers found island lizards were more accessible the farther the islands were from the mainland.

Published On: 11-Jan-14 01:37 AM
Source: ScienceDaily

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[borntobnude]

I think someone forgot to tell the little lizards on the isle of KOMODO about these findings .

 

[butters]

What do you mean? I'm sure they would all come out of the bush to greet you with smiles on their faces

 

[user 16446]

They're not actually tame. It's just the ones on the mainland know to stay away from humans.

 

[mikey_mike]

Years ago when I was helping it out with seabird research on the Abrolhos Islands the Kings Skinks would crawl over us if we lay around during the day time (we weren't lazy we'd been doing some night work). I thought it was all very cute till one of them decided we were edible & bit an earlobe (not mine).

 

[Kit_fox]

They're not actually tame. It's just the ones on the mainland know to stay away from humans.

That's 110% correct (and it's the same case with penguins at the South Pole)