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Bluetongue Lizards or 'Sleepies' belong to the Skink family, Scincidae and they're one of the world's largest skinks. Australia plays host to six species of Blue Tongue Lizards and you may be one of those Manly residents fortunate enough to have an Eastern/Common Blue Tongue (Tiliqua scincoides) in your backyard
What do they eat?
With spring weather upon us, the lizards are most active and can generally be found sunbathing in the morning before they resume a daily pattern of foraging. Bluetongues are wonderful for the garden, conveniently surviving on a diet of slugs, snails and insects, as well as other carrion and vegetation, 95% of their diet being flowers and berries.
When do they mate?
In contrast to being alone throughout winter, as warm August weather progresses, pairs start to form. Males will closely follow the females around for days at a time. Research has shown that Bluetongues are monogamous, returning year after year to mate with the same partner, although once they've mated the male may wander about to see if there are any other females around.
What happens when they are startled?
Large and slow moving by nature, the Bluetongue's defence when startled is to open its mouth wide to expose a large, leaf-shaped blue tongue. They only bite under provocation which generally results in more of a bruise due to strong jaws and peg-like teeth. They grow to a size of up to 60cms in length and have been documented as living for up to 30 years in captivity.
How far can they travel?
Recent radio tracking research at the University of Sydney has revealed that individual Bluetongues can travel through more than 15 backyards and cross several roads daily in search for a fellow lizard and to find new niches and to shelter from predators. There is concern however, that Bluetongues are in decline in urban Sydney. Common thirty years ago, those spotted in backyards are now mostly ageing adults. Far fewer young ones are surviving to perpetuate the species.
The main problems facing them are:
- predation by domestic dogs and cats
- injury and mortality by lawnmowers and whipper snippers
- road injury and mortality-being cold-blooded, Bluetongues love to bask on a dark road which soaks up heat very efficiently-they're just not fast enough to avoid oncoming traffic
- poisons put down by unthinking gardeners, particularly snailbait, which the lizards ingest
- lack of sufficient habitat ie. clearing in garden areas which leaves the Bluetongue without cover and therefore vulnerable
- lack of tolerance by people who mistake them for snakes or just don't want to share their space with these harmless creatures.
Are they fully protected?
In order to preserve the existing wild population, Lizards are fully protected in all Australian states. It's against the law to take them from the wild and a permit is required to keep one. Australia is the only major city in the world to have resident lizards this size, all the more reason to protect these unique, harmless and wonderful reptiles in our urban areas.Source: Bushland news Sept. 2000
Story reference: AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC issue 55, July-September 1999.
For more information see the Australian Geographic website: www.australiangeographic.com.au