
When threatened, many geckos can detach part of their tail through a process called autotomy.
The separated tail can continue wriggling for a period, potentially distracting a predator while the gecko escapes.
A replacement tail can grow later, although it usually isn't identical to the original.
Tail loss also costs the animal stored energy and resources, so it isn't a casual trick.
That wriggling detached tail is essentially an emergency escape mechanism.
© Smithsonian's National Zoo