There are tons of things about nature that we haven’t discovered yet.
Truth be told, despite our advancement in technology, there are still things that we do not know yet about nature. And when we talk about nature, it includes undiscovered creatures on land, air, and water.
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Well, today, we will feature a tiny creature like no other – the armadillo lizards. While most of you may already know them, some might still find these little crawlers fascinating and quite captivating to the eyes.
Baby dragons.
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That’s probably what you will first think of after seeing them at first glance. Armadillo lizard’s scientific name is ‘Ouroborus cataphractus’ and belongs to a species of lizard in the family Cordylidae.
These baby dragons-looking lizards are endemic to desert areas, particularly to the rocky Succulent Karoo along the northern and western provinces of South Africa. They usually stay hidden in rock outcrops and mountain slopes.
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Armadillo lizards also live in the shadows by hiding in rock cracks and crevices. They usually live in groups, approximately up to 30 to 60 lizards of all ages, but oftentimes fewer because of their territorial behavior. Males are commonly territorial, they consider one place their turf and mate with females living within it.
Living in the wild isn’t easy if you are a small creature; however, armadillo lizards are quite hard to prey on.
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Just like armadillos, the armadillo lizard is also coated with thick scales from its forehead all the way to its tail. The only part of its body that’s a little soft and prone to attacks is its underbelly. However, when threatened by an incoming predator, it rolls into a ball of spikes and takes its tail inside its mouth to maintain that form.
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This defense form of them protects them from large wild predators like snakes and mongooses.
Armadillo lizards don’t need much food to survive, but when they do, they prey on small invertebrates such as insects and spiders. They usually eat termites, especially Microhodotermes Viator and Hodotermes Mossambicus.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), armadillo lizards are already classified as “near threatened.”
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One of the many reasons for this is the collection of armadillo lizards as pets which is now considered illegal. These “baby dragons” are also thought to be somewhat affected by the downslide of their primary food source, which is termites.
Another thing, of course, is the illegal poaching of these poor creatures and also their vulnerability in terms of their part in the food web. Considering their size, there are plenty of larger animals that see them as a sumptuous meal.
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To cure the threat to their kind, female armadillo lizards reproduce by giving birth to either one or two young each year. Their usual gestation period lasts between six to eight months. However, on some rare occasions, a female armadillo lizard may even take a year in between pregnancy in order to take care of her babies – it’s something that is quite extraordinary for reptiles like them.
Do your part, these reptiles need us to preserve their kind. They are better off in the wild than being kept as pets.
Watch the clip below to know more about armadillo lizards.
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