March 1 - lizard longevity

I watched "Wild Caribbean - Hurricane Hell" on ABC TV and learned that there are islands in the Caribbean that regularly get totally flattened by hurricanes and as a result the flora and fauna have adapted to survive.

Here's a description from the ABC website-

"The Caribbean is no stranger to the wild forces of nature. Between June and November, during the hot summer months - Caribbean heaven turns into hurricane hell, as the pristine waters and lush rainforests are hit by the extreme winds, water and rains that accompany a hurricane."

"Storm surges have been known to cover the entire surface of the Caribbean's low lying islands. Over the years, the inhabitants of the Caribbean - coral reefs, animals, marine life and even fauna have done their best to adapt to the hurricane season. Rainforest trees for example, use their roots to literally anchor themselves to the forest floor, while leatherback turtles head to the deep waters.

But while a hurricane may devastate a reef or rainforest beyond recognition, the Caribbean is able to renew itself time and time again."

The story of survival that interested me is about the lizards. Occasionally the inundations are so severe that the entire population of lizards is wiped out but the species survives because the lizard eggs can survive under water and within weeks of the water subsiding the population of lizards is replaced. Clever survival mechanism I think.