Blue-tongue lizards: facts you may not know

Wildlife Blue-tongue lizards: facts you may not know February 9, 2022

Why are their tongues blue? The display is part of a last-ditch defence mechanism that these reptiles use to save themselves from being eaten, particularly from bird predators.

Live birth? Blue-tongue lizard eggs develop and hatch inside the female’s body and she gives birth to tiny fully formed baby lizards, about 10 to 15 each time.

Five species of blue-tongue lizard? Yep, that's correct There are six species or subspecies of blue-tongue lizards, each with a particular distribution. This one – the shingleback – is found west of the Great Dividing Range.

For something extra cool... This is a rare, genetically mutated blue-tongue lizard, sporting a pink tongue and an albino underbelly.

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