This World Lizard Day we’re sharing some jaw-dropping (or perhaps jaw-snapping) facts about our remarkable reptiles.

From lightning-fast speeds to impressive underwater breath-holds, these scaly superstars are talented! 

Need for Speed

The Perentie, Australia’s largest lizard, is a master of speed and agility.

These impressive reptiles grow up to 8 feet long and can run up to 40 kilometres an hour! This makes them one of the fastest lizards in the world.

These Olympic speeds aren’t just for show though.

They give the Perentie a critical advantage for hunting across the Aussie Outback. They can even take down small kangaroos!
 

Say what you need to say

Inland Bearded Dragon’s might not vocalise, but they are expert communicators.

They bob their heads, inflate, wave their arms, and even change colour! These spiky critters know how to make themselves understood.

• Slow head bob: a female’s way of showing they’re keen on a male
• Inflated and blackened beard: male exerting dominance to seem more intimidating when threatened
• Whole body bobbing: a cue for mating
• Arm waving: surrender/submission 

Something smells… delicious!

Komodo Dragon’s are the largest living lizard, reaching up to 10 feet and weighing over 60 kilograms!

They have 60 long, serrated teeth that are coated in venom, which helps to subdue their prey quickly.

If their prey does manage to break free, the Komodo Dragon can track it for up to three days, smelling the air with its long, forked tongue.

These prehistoric predators can smell meat up to 4 km away! 
 

Make a splash

The Mertens Water Monitor is a super swimmer and is rarely seen far from the water.

They have nostrils on top of their head allowing them to stay partially submerged when looking for prey, just like a crocodile would, and a special nostril valve that shuts tightly when they dive deep!

These masterful monitors can stay underwater for several minutes at a time, making them highly effective aquatic predators.
 

I’m blue

The Centralian Blue-tongue Skink is named after its most distinctive feature – it’s blue tongue!

When threatened, a Blue-tongue Skink will flatten its body, hiss and open its mouth to display the blue tongue to scare predators away.

They have strong jaws to crunch on insects and snail shells, but they prefer to show off their colourful tongue when it comes to defensive manoeuvres!
   
From superior smell to sophisticated communication styles, lizards have evolved some of the most fascinating traits in the animal kingdom.

Next time you encounter one of these extraordinary creatures, we hope you love them as much as we do!

You can visit these lizards and many more, in our Australian Reptile House, Australian Wetlands, Nocturnal House, and Komoda Dragon habitat.

Happy World Lizard Day!