Australian Water Dragon

The Australian water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii), including the eastern water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii lesuurii) and the Gippsland water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii howittii), is an arboreal species of agamid native to eastern Australia from Victoria north to Queensland. There may be a small introduced population on the southeastern coast of South Australia.

Australian water dragon

Appearance

The Australian water dragon is a species of arboreal lizard native to eastern Australia. They have long strong limbs and claws for climbing, a long muscular tail compressed to the sides for swimming, and prominent crests and nape. Males are darker in color and have larger heads than females. There are two subspecies: the Eastern water dragon and the Intellagama Gippsland water dragon. Oriental water dragons are usually white, yellow and red on the throat and have a dark band behind the eyes; The Gippsland water dragon lacks this and instead has dark bands on the sides of the throat, speckled in yellow, orange, or blue. Both subspecies have an overall pale greenish-gray coloration with black bands running down the back, tail, and legs. Water dragons can slowly change their skin color to aid camouflage, and their skin will shed during growth.

Allotment

The Australian water dragon is found in eastern Australia from Victoria north to Queensland. There may be a small introduced population on the southeastern coast of South Australia. They live near creeks, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water that have sunbathing sites such as tree branches or rocks that protrude into open or filtered sunlight. Australian water dragons are common in the rainforests of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens and Mount Coot-tha in Queensland.

Habits and Lifestyle

Australian water dragons are social and congregate in areas with suitable habitat. These groups usually include several females, juveniles, and a dominant male. Males are territorial and, in areas of higher population densities, exhibit aggressive expressions towards other males including posture, chasing and fighting. The Australian water dragon can be active both day and night. They are usually seen in the morning lying on the banks of rivers and rocks, resting in trees, swimming and feeding. They are shy by nature but easily adapt to the constant human presence in suburban parks and gardens. These lizards run fast and climb vigorously. When faced with a potential predator, they seek cover in thick vegetation or drop from overhanging branches into the water. They can swim completely in water and rest at the bottom of creeks or terrariums for up to 90 minutes to avoid detection. Water dragons that live in the cooler climates of Australia hibernate (hibernate) during the winter. They feed in burrows between rocks and logs in or near riverbanks. To communicate with each other, Australian water dragons use a variety of dominance and submission signals including waving and shaking their heads. Fast waving signals dominate, while slow waving signals obey.

Diet and nutrition

The Australian water dragon’s diet depends on their age. Juveniles and juveniles tend to eat small insects such as ants, spiders, crickets and caterpillars. As they get older, so does their prey. The adult diet consists of small rodents such as baby rats, although insects are still most commonly consumed. Australian water dragons also eat fruits, berries and flowers.

mating habits

Little is known about the mating system of the Australian water dragon. Their breeding season takes place in the spring. Females burrow about 10-15 cm (3.9-5.9 in) deep and lay 6 to 18 eggs. The nest is usually in sandy or soft soil, in a sunny area. Once the hen has laid eggs, she fills the chamber with soil and scatters loose debris on top. Australian water dragons exhibit temperature-dependent sex determination; The sex of the young is determined by the temperature of the nesting site. The young are fully developed and independent from birth. When the young are born, they stay near the entrance to the burrow for a while before leaving the house. When they eventually leave the nest, they tend to group together to stay away from the adult population.

Population

population threat

There are currently no major threats to the Australian water dragon. However, they are prey to birds, snakes, cats, dogs and foxes. Juveniles and smaller water dragons are highly susceptible to predation by kookaburras, currawongs, butcherbirds, and other raptors. They also tend to be deadly on the road due to the attraction of asphalt and warm concrete to cover floors.

population

According to the IUCN, the Australian water dragon is locally common and widespread throughout its range but there is no overall estimate of the population. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) in the IUCN Red List and their numbers are stable today.

Australian Water Dragon – Facts, Diet, Habitat