Central bearded dragon

About

The central bearded dragon is a robust, spiny lizard of the semi-arid and arid woodlands of central Australia, named for the spiky, inflatable throat pouch ('beard') it darkens and flares as a threat and social display. It has since become one of the world's most popular pet reptiles, but the wild population remains a genuine outback local.

How to spot it

A stocky, flattened lizard up to 60cm long (over half of that tail), mottled in browns, reds, yellows and greys that shift with temperament and background. Look for it basking on fence posts, rocks or dead branches in open woodland during the cooler morning and evening, flattening its body and puffing out its spiny black 'beard' if it feels threatened.

Found in

• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
• Watarrka National Park
• Finke Gorge National Park
• Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
• N'Dhala Gorge Nature Park
• Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park