Looking out for lizards

Blue-tongue Lizards become adults at about three years of age and they can live for 30 years!

Imagine if you had one as a pet or a wild one living in your backyard at home; you would have it around until you’re all grown up!

If you have a wild lizard living in your backyard you might not see it every day. They are a reptile, which means they are cold blooded. They need warmth from the sun or a nice warm rock to gain energy so they can find and even catch their food.

They love to eat cockroaches, grasshoppers, snails and even spiders!

On cold days or during winter, they will bury themselves under leaves and shrubs in the garden because they don’t have enough energy from the sun to find or digest food, or to run away from predators like cats, dogs or big birds.

If you have cats or dogs as pets, make sure you feed them inside because lizards love to nibble on cat and dog food. We don’t want to encourage lizards to come looking for food that is left outside because they can be in danger of being injured by our pets.

Taronga’s Backyard to Bush area has two Blue-tongue Lizards, Bert and Esme, who you can visit in the Shearing Shed in the Farmyard, located on the Kid’s Trail, Trail 5.

- Backyard to Bush Keeper, Bec Noad