These two Jesus Christ Lizard or Green Basilisks (Basiliscus plumifrons) were photographed near water ways in Limon Costa Rica.

This Green Basilisk is also known as the Jesus Christ lizard because it can run 15 feet on top of water as a survival technique. The plumes are full of color including turquoise, see the younger basilisk below. Both of these subjects are males. Only the males have this type of plumage, females only have crests on their heads. These creatures are native to Central America from Honduras to Panama. They vary in size as the pictures below show.

They are omnivores. They feed on smaller lizards, small rodents as well as plants and flowers. Basilisks are eaten by snakes,opossums and large birds.

Large, older Basilisk

This guy lives down around our stream. We see him a few times a week so he’s not afraid of us anymore but he does have to feel like he is in a safe spot in a tree when we he spots us. This is by far the largest basilisk we have seen here on the farm. He is about triple the size of the others, which means that he has a lot more years under his crest.

Younger male basilisk