So very pretty, primitive and fierce looking! I'm curious about the evolutionary chain which produced them; they look like an intermediate stage between the snake and the lizard.
This is Australia. We stopped evolution here millions of years ago. 8)
These liazrds are in the skink family, which is mostly full of lithe and speedy critters. Paleontologists say these guy's ancestors were longer-legged and faster.
I hear that! Although they're not on the same continent, Florida shares many of the same traits in terms of generating unique ecology and animals (do we really NEED thirty-six different kinds of cockroachs? Or twenty-seven varieties of mosquito?)
I guess that's why some of these reptiles do so well when folk release 'em into the Everglades. Don't get me started on things like the love bugs and the fire ants. I'd rather have skinks, thank you.
Some poorly-cleaned second hand agricultural equipment arrived in Brisbane and brought the ants with it. They were confined to the Port area, but instead of sending in the exterminators, the state government "Studied the problem" By the time a conclusion was reached - "Exterminate the ants!" - it was too late. Fire ants are in Brisbane.
Those buggers HURT. We have them all over and it only takes a few to inflict serious damage. Simtra has scars on his legs and feet from where they swarmed him and I carry an epi pen because I'm allergic. They got into Florida the same way, through improper cleaning procedures and inadequate inspection of agricultural goods.
She looks rather peeved! Do Blue tongues grow theirs back, or is she stuck for life? She looks like she has a growing stump. Some lizard can *do* that and survive to crunch molluscs another day:).
The tail will grow back. Or rather, the skin, fat and some muscles will grow back, but the bone won't. The tail will be a food-store for winter but it won't be usable.
Not knee-deep, but they are common. You can keep them as pets if you have the paperwork proving you bought it from a registered reptile breeder. It is illegal to take them from the wild.
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These liazrds are in the skink family, which is mostly full of lithe and speedy critters. Paleontologists say these guy's ancestors were longer-legged and faster.
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I guess that's why some of these reptiles do so well when folk release 'em into the Everglades. Don't get me started on things like the love bugs and the fire ants. I'd rather have skinks, thank you.
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Some poorly-cleaned second hand agricultural equipment arrived in Brisbane and brought the ants with it. They were confined to the Port area, but instead of sending in the exterminators, the state government "Studied the problem" By the time a conclusion was reached - "Exterminate the ants!" - it was too late. Fire ants are in Brisbane.
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Never look at Den's photos while kids are near.
Andrew is now begging me to ask you to sent him a skink...and is going on a hunger strike until he gets it.
He will settle for a wombat.
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Do Blue tongues grow theirs back, or is she stuck for life? She looks like she has a growing stump. Some lizard can *do* that and survive to crunch molluscs another day:).
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I may have read the answer and forgotten, but a) are these knee deep over where you are, and b) do people try to keep them as pets?
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