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A population of "Victorian earless prairie dragons," which are actually a species of lizards last seen in 1969, have now been discovered again in the wild. These rare reptiles, up to 15 centimeters long, belong to the family Hardonin, also called "dragon lizards."
They were most common in the grasslands of western Melbourne, Australia, but over the years they became extinct due to the loss of their habitats and predators such as foxes and feral cats.
But now "survivors" of these lizards have been rediscovered. Australian media reported that the Ministry of the Environment said: "This is an amazing discovery that gives us the opportunity to bring back these rare species that were already considered extinct and lost. With the help of our partners, we will continue to fight the extinction of this critically endangered species – ensuring future generations can see and learn about this unique lizard."
The Victoria County Wildlife Conservation Organisation has been actively searching for these dragons since 2017. Its CEO, Dr Jenny Gray, was thrilled to be able to find it: "The extraordinary rediscovery of this critically endangered lizard raises optimism for the recovery of this Victorian species," she said.
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The local government has invested over $100,<> in a new project aimed at training tracking dogs to sniff and try to locate more of the lizard's extinct population.
The exact location where the lizards were found has so far been kept secret to protect them and their habitats, with the Victoria Conservation Organization working on rebuilding special habitats for lizards to protect them from predators and ensure they do not go extinct again.
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- Lizards
- Australia
- Dragon