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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/may/04/victorian-grassland-earless-dragon-melbourne-zoo-endangered-species-second-extinction>
"The dragons’ lair looks deceptively ordinary: a pair of pale green portables,
tucked behind the reptile enclosure at Melbourne zoo.
But the plain exterior belies its hidden treasures. Inside, dozens of Victorian
grassland earless dragons, blissfully unaware of their status as Australia’s
most imperilled reptile, are basking on rocks, gobbling up crickets or lapping
up “dew”, expertly misted by their keeper Zac Harkin.
For 50 years these critically endangered creatures were thought extinct. But
following their rediscovery in 2023, Zoos Victoria is not taking any chances.
The new dragon conservation centre at Melbourne zoo has room to accommodate
hundreds, housed as singles or pairs in open-air glass condos, each one
furnished with living plants and artificial burrows made of PVC piping.
The occupants would be small enough to pass for a plastic toy, if only they
weren’t so fast. Harkin is working to breed enough of these “pocket rockets” to
support their recovery in the wild, each one sporting five white racing
stripes, tiny scales and “fangy little teeth”.
Here, genetically distinct males and females are paired before winter, giving
them a chance to settle in before breeding season kicks in.
But a couple that looks good on paper doesn’t always work out in practice,
Harkin says. Even a tiny lizard can be fearsome. “They stand on their tippy
toes, arch their backs, mouths open,” he says."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
