The weirdest lizards in the world that you should know about
If you are scared of lizards and think that all of them came out of a horror story to make your life hell, then you will surely change your mind after seeing that lizards can actually be cool and cute in their own way. If a lizard jumps on your head out of nowhere and scares you to death, of course, you’re not going to be too fond of them. But there are certainly some kinds that you wouldn’t mind having in your garden when you realise they’ll eat all the pesky flies and mosquitos. Here are the weirdest and the coolest lizards in the world that will perhaps get you to start liking them.
Dwarf Gecko
The Dwarf Gecko is perhaps the least scary among all its relatives, and it lives on the island of Madagascar in Africa. Its size varies from 14mm to 22mm. They are the tiniest lizard species known to humans, and a lot of people like to capture them and have them as pets, which is not a good idea. No matter how cute they are, these tiny fellows belong to the wild.
Armadillo Girdled Lizard
This armadillo-look-like lizard can grow up to 3.5 inches and lives in South Africa. It likes to hide in rocky terrains, so it’s not so easy to see one. But if you do it will be a fun encounter that you will never forget. When the Armadillo Girdled Lizard feels threatened it curls into a ball and bites its tail to protect itself.
Flying Gecko
If you thought this impossible, now you know it’s not. These tiny lizards live mostly in Thailand and Myanmar and they can glide through the air with the help of their skin flaps. Their camouflage skills are amazing, so it’s hard to spot one in the wild because they have chameleon-like abilities. Flying Geckos are arboreal lizards, which means they live on trees and that’s why nature gave them these flying skills to get from tree to tree.
Philippine sailfin lizard
You don’t have to be worried about this 40-inch long lizard unless you live in the Philippines. It’s the only place on Earth where you can see it, if that is what you want. Or maybe you’d prefer to just avoid going to the Philippines! They love swimming in rivers and they live near them. Sailfin lizards are omnivorous, though they prefer to eat small animals. Their sail-like fin on the back of the tail gives them a prehistoric look, so if you ever see one, you might think that you’re on the set of a Spielberg movie.
Frilled necked lizard
Talking about prehistoric looking lizards, check this out. This lizard looks so fancy with its colorful neck, but when it’s opened out like that it actually means it’s scared to death. The frilled necked lizard lives mostly in trees and won’t come running after you or spit venom in your face like in Jurassic Park. The frilled necked lizard is carnivorous and it feeds on mice, butterflies, larvae, and beetles.
Komodo Dragon
If you are scared of lizards, note the name of these Indonesian Islands down: Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Padar. And remember to never go there. The lizard king, the largest among them, and the most dangerous too, is the Komodo Dragon. It can grow to 120 inches long and weigh 155 pounds. We’re talking about a real beast here. Komodo Dragons attack humans, and they have blood-tinged venomous saliva. If you ever see one in the wild, run for your life and don’t turn back.
In the end, we all share the same planet, and as long as we don’t mess with them, they won’t attack us. Stay safe and choose your next exotic trip carefully.
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