Spot of Understanding: Lizards sunbathe for a reason

Sunbathing is good - Image from Pinkfluff on Flickr

People in the West, especially those who have harsh winters, crave the sun down here in the South of the globe for its heat and fuzziness. But why do lizards like the sun? Apparently, they sunbathe to get enough of vitamin D. A particular species known as panther chameleons set aside sunbathing time depending on how much vitamin D they need. Behavioral ecologist Kristopher Karsten of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas led the study, which will be published in the May/June edition of Physiological and Biochemical Zoology.

Scientists used to think that lizards dozing in the sun or turtles sitting still on logs were regulating their body temperatures. But now they found that vitamin D is plays a crucial role in reproduction in reptiles and this could be another reason that they sit in the sun. So the next time we see a lizard basking we should follow suit to get plenty of vitamin D.

Read more on the study