El Hierro Giant Lizard

 

True Wild Life | El Hierro Giant Lizard | The El Hierro Giant Lizard is a species that can be found on the island of El Hierro, one of the Canary  Islands (Spain). The species was once present throughout much of the island and on the small offshore Roque Chico de Salmor, but is now confined to a small areas of cliff with sparse vegetation. It is currently restricted to the southern end of the Risco de Tibataje, in la Fuga de Gorreta, located between Guinea and the so-called Paso del Pino. 

Water Dragon

True Wild Life | Water Dragon | The water dragon is a large species of lizard native to the forests and jungles of Asia and Australia. Water dragons are arboreal animals meaning that they spend most of their time in the trees, often close to a large body of water. There are two different species of water dragon, which are the Australian water dragon and the Asian water dragon. The Australian water dragon is the smaller of the two water dragon species and is found on the east coast of Australia. Australian water dragons have powerful legs and sharp claws which help them to climb trees more effectively.

Thorny Devil

True Wild Life | Thorny Devil | The thorny devil, also known as Thorny Dragon, Thorny Lizard, or the Moloch, is a small species of lizard native to Australia with there being no other lizard like the thorny devil anywhere in the world. The thorny devil is a small lizard with the average adult thorny devil only growing to around 20cm in length and weighing about the same as the average mouse. The thorny devil is best known for having an extremely spiky looking appearance and the thorny devil can blend well into the vast Australian desert due to the colour of the thorny devils skin.

Slow Worm

True Wild Life | Slow Worm | The slow worm is a long species of legless lizard found throughout Europe and in parts of Asia, that is often mistaken for a snake due to it's appearance. The slow worm inhabits warm, moist and shaded areas across the European continent and is also commonly found in gardens throughout the United Kingdom, as well as meadows and farmland.

Sand Lizard

True Wild Life | Sand Lizard | The sand lizard is a small species of lizard that is found across Europe and into parts of Asia. The sand lizard is one of only three species of lizard natively found in the UK along with the slow worm and the common lizard, and is protected in Britain (and much of Europe) as populations are low in most areas. The sand lizard is found inhabiting grass and heath-lands along with coastal dunes throughout it's native range which extends from the United Kingdom, east across Europe to Mongolia. Despite having a fairly wide distribution however, sand lizard populations are sparse and are completely extinct from certain areas of their native habitats.

Monitor Lizard

True Wild Life | Monitor Lizard | Monitor Lizards are large reptiles found in Africa and all across Asia, including the surrounding seas. The monitor lizard is mainly found in jungle areas although some species of monitor lizard are water-bound. Some species of monitor lizard are thought to carry a fairly weak venom, for example, the komodo dragon which is the largest of the species. The komodo dragon is native to the small Indonesian island that it is named after and is the largest species of lizard in the world.

Lizard

True Wild Life | Lizard | Lizard is a collective name for the different species of lizard that are found in the warmer climates around the world. The lizard is a reptile with scaly skin, and some species of lizard can shed their tails when the are in danger, but not all species of lizard are capable of doing this. There are around 5,000 different species of lizard ranging from small lizards that are just a few centimeters in size, to much larger and more predatory lizards that measure a few meters from the head of the lizard to the tip of their tail.

Komodo Dragon

True Wild Life | Komodo Dragon | The komodo dragon, also known as the giant monitor lizard, is the largest species of lizard in the world.The komodo dragon inhabits the rainforests of Southeast Asia, and the komodo dragon is native to just a few islands in Indonesia that are part of the Komodo Island National Park. Fossil evidence however, suggests that the komodo dragon once had a much larger habitat but this has been severely decreased due to deforestation. Komodo dragons are completely dominant predators in their environment, and are named by the locals as the land crocodile due to their large size and habit of eating seemingly anything that the komodo dragons can find.

Glass Lizard

True Wild Life | Glass Lizard | The glass lizard (also known as the glass snake and the jointed snake) are a group of reptiles that resemble snakes, but are actually lizards. Although most species of glass lizard have no legs, their head shape and the fact that they have movable eyelids and external ear openings identify them as lizards. Glass lizards are found all around the world although, the greatest number of species in the genus are native to Asia, from India to China and the Indonesian islands. At least one species, the Moroccan glass lizard, comes from North Africa, and several species live in the south-eastern United States including the barrier islands off the Atlantic coast of Florida. The glass lizard is also found in abundance in Eastern North Carolina as far as 40 miles from Atlantic Ocean.

Frilled Lizard

True Wild Life | Frilled Lizard | The frilled lizard is a large species of lizard natively found in the jungles of Australia and its surrounding islands. The frilled lizard is known by a number of names including the frill-necked lizard and the frilled dragon. The frilled lizard is an arboreal animal meaning that it spends the majority of its life in the trees. Frilled lizards can be found in humid climates such as tropical jungles and forests, across Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Chameleon

True Wild Life | Chameleon | The chameleon is a very distinctive and well-known species of lizard, due to the large eyes and curled tail of the chameleon. Chameleons are found throughout jungle and desert alike, in Africa, Asia and parts of Southern Europe and chameleons have also been introduced to parts of North America. There are thought to be more than 160 different species of chameleon that range from just an inch to more than a couple of feet in size. The tiny pygmy leaf chameleon, found in the jungles of Madagascar, is the smallest species of chameleon with some males measuring less than 3 cm long.

Caiman Lizard

True Wild Life | Caiman Lizard | The caiman lizard is a medium sized species of lizard, natively found in the jungles of South America. The caiman lizard is powerfully built and is one of the largest lizard species on the American continent. The caiman lizard can be found inhabiting the rainforest and swampland areas of South America in the countries of Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Caiman lizards are most commonly spotted in areas which are flooded as they are very aquatic creatures.

Iguana

True Wild Life | Iguana | Iguanas are native to the jungles of central and south America, and the Caribbean. The iguana is a large docile species of lizard, meaning that iguanas are often a popular choice when keeping exotic pets. Iguanas have excellent sight allowing the iguana to detect movement from incredibly long distances. The iguana can use this skill to seek out prey and be aware of approaching predators often before the predators has even noticed the iguana.

It is said that the iguana uses visual signals to communicate with other iguanas. The iguanas do this through a series a rapid eye movements that other iguanas are able to pick up on easily due to the excellent sight of the iguana.

Gila Monster

True Wild Life | Gila Monster |  The Gila Monster is a stout-bodied lizard that grows 18 to 24 inches in length. It has black, orange, pink or yellow broken blotches, bars and spots, with bands extending onto its blunt tail. Its face is black, and it has small, bead-like scales across its back. It is named for the Gila River Basin of the southwestern United States. The gila monster is found roaming through a range of habitats throughout the drier regions of central America. Gila monsters tend to inhabit areas that are more sheltered such as shrublands, woodlands, forests and semi-deserts.