1Basilisk%20Lizard
The%20basilisk%20lizard,%20also%20known%20as%20the%20Jesus%20Christ%20lizard,%20escapes%20its%20predators%20by%20dropping%20from%20its%20treetop%20home%20and%20running%20across%20the%20surface%20of%20the%20river%20below.%20They%20can%20reach%20an%20impressive%20speed%20of%20over%20five%20feet%20per%20second%20for%20about%20a%20length%20of%2015%20feet.%20
The%20lizards%20have%20long%20toes%20with%20fringes%20of%20skin%20connecting%20them%20and%20rapidly%20smack%20their%20feet%20against%20the%20water%20to%20create%20an%20air%20pocket%20while%20running,%20which%20helps%20them%20stay%20afloat%20as%20long%20as%20they%20maintain%20their%20speed.%20When%20they%20do%20fall%20in,%20they%20can%20swim,%20but%20prefer%20running%20as%20they%20are%20also%20at%20risk%20of%20being%20eaten%20by%20water-dwelling%20animals.
2Brazilian%20Pygmy%20Geckos
This%20tiny%20lizard%20isn’t%20just%20cute,%20it’s%20also%20gifted.%20Between%20its%20low%20weight%20and%20hydrophobic%20skin,%20the%20gecko%20is%20easily%20able%20to%20walk%20along%20the%20surface%20of%20the%20water.%20Because%20the%20gecko%20is%20so%20tiny%20(more%20so%20than%20many%20of%20the%20insects%20that%20live%20in%20the%20Amazon%20rain%20forest%20with%20them),%20it%20is%20at%20risk%20of%20drowning%20in%20even%20the%20smallest%20puddles%20— scientists%20believe%20this%20is%20how%20their%20ability%20to%20walk%20on%20water%20evolved.%20
3Water%20Striders
Water%20bugs%20— a.k.a.,%20Jesus%20bugs,%20pond%20skaters,%20and%20water%20skippers%20— %20are%20members%20of%20the%20Gerridae%20family%20of%20insects%20and%20are%20distinguished%20by%20their%20ability%20to%20walk%20on%20water.%20They%20do%20so%20with%20hydrophobic%20legs%20that%20help%20increase%20surface%20tension%20on%20the%20water%20and%20equally%20distribute%20their%20weight%20on%20all%20legs.%20Their%20movements%20also%20help%20by%20sweeping%20their%20middle%20legs%20in%20a%20circle%20like%20rowboat%20oars,%20which%20propels%20them%20forward.
4Fishing%20Spiders
Fishing%20spiders%20(a.k.a.,%20raft%20spiders,%20dock%20spiders%20and%20wharf%20spiders)%20are%20semi-aquatic%20and%20live%20near%20pools%20and%20streams%20where%20they%20hunt%20for%20food.%20They%20wait%20by%20waterways%20until%20they%20detect%20ripples%20in%20the%20surface%20of%20the%20water%20and%20then%20run%20across%20it%20to%20subdue%20their%20prey.%20The%20water%20also%20helps%20them%20avoid%20predators%20since%20they%20can%20hide%20under%20the%20surface%20of%20it%20by%20encasing%20their%20bodies%20in%20small%20air%20bubbles.%20While%20most%20fishing%20spiders%20eat%20insects,%20some%20larger%20species%20can%20even%20catch%20and%20eat%20small%20fish,%20tadpoles%20and%20frogs.
Fishing%20spiders,%20like%20geckos,%20can%20travel%20on%20water%20because%20they%20are%20lightweight%20and%20covered%20in%20short,%20hydrophobic%20hairs.%20They%20sometimes%20sail%20along%20the%20water,%20standing%20with%20a%20few%20legs%20up%20in%20the%20air%20as%20the%20wind%20pushes%20them%20along%20the%20surface.%20Their%20short%20hairs%20also%20allow%20for%20air%20bubbles%20to%20form%20around%20their%20bodies%20when%20they%20hide%20under%20the%20surface.%20In%20fact,%20they%20are%20so%20buoyant%20that%20they%20need%20to%20hold%20on%20to%20something%20while%20under,%20or%20they%20will%20float%20right%20back%20to%20the%20surface%20and%20emerge%20totally%20dry.%20Some%20of%20the%20spiders%20can%20stay%20submerged%20for%20as%20long%20as%20half%20an%20hour.
5Dolphin
Without%20feet,%20it’s%20hard%20to%20say%20that%20dolphins%20can%20actually%20″walk”%20on%20water,%20but%20they%20are%20famous%20for%20being%20able%20to%20dance%20above%20the%20waves%20with%20their%20tail%20fins.%20Unlike%20other%20animals%20that%20use%20their%20water-walking%20abilities%20for%20some%20evolutionary%20benefit,%20researchers%20believe%20that%20dolphins%20only%20do%20so%20for%20fun%20—%20the%20equivalent%20of%20humans%20dancing.%20
Interestingly,%20while%20dolphins%20are%20equipped%20with%20the%20ability%20to%20tail%20walk,%20they%20almost%20never%20do%20it%20in%20the%20wild%20unless%20they%20have%20been%20exposed%20to%20a%20once%20captive%20dolphin%20who%20was%20previously%20trained%20in%20the%20behavior%20by%20humans.
6Western%20and%20Clark's%20Grebes
Both%20the%20western%20and%20Clark’s%20species%20of%20grebes%20have%20a%20unique%20and%20beautiful%20mating%20practice%20called%20″rushing”%20that%20involves%20them%20running%20along%20the%20water%20in%20pairs.%20The%20birds%20will%20lunge%20forward%20and%20rise%20to%20their%20feet%20with%20their%20wings%20beating%20nonstop.%20The%20couple%20then%20runs%20across%20the%20water%20in%20unison%20for%20up%20to%2030%20feet,%20taking%20as%20many%20as%2022%20steps%20a%20second.
The%20birds%20spend%20nearly%20their%20entire%20lives%20in%20the%20water%20and%20have%20short%20wings%20and%20sturdy%20legs%20that%20are%20terrible%20for%20walking%20on%20land,%20but%20great%20for%20their%20mating%20dance.
7Storm%20Petrel
Unlike%20most%20of%20the%20other%20animals%20on%20this%20list,%20this%20bird%20doesn’t%20walk%20on%20the%20surface%20of%20the%20water,%20though%20it%20does%20look%20like%20it.%20In%20reality,%20it%20hovers%20close%20to%20the%20surface,%20and%20eats%20and%20runs%20its%20feet%20along%20the%20water.%20The%20bird%20gets%20its%20name%20from%20Saint%20Peter,%20who%20is%20said%20to%20have%20walked%20on%20water.%20Their%20legs%20are%20too%20weak%20to%20support%20the%20bird’s%20weight%20for%20more%20than%20a%20few%20steps,%20meaning%20they%20can%20appear%20to%20walk%20further%20on%20water%20than%20they%20actually%20can%20on%20land.
8A%20Heron%20on%20A%20Hippo
Ok,%20herons%20can’t%20walk%20on%20water,%20but%20the%20bird%20in%20this%20video%20sure%20looks%20like%20he%20can%20— until%20the%20hippo%20pops%20out%20above%20the%20surface%20showing%20us%20what’s%20really%20going%20on%20here.%20Sure,%20he%20might%20not%20be%20able%20to%20walk%20on%20water,%20but%20this%20is%20about%20as%20close%20he%20— and%20the%20rest%20of%20us%20— will%20ever%20get,%20so%20we%20might%20as%20well%20celebrate%20the%20illusion.