This lizard, luckily for it, was sitting on the opposite side of the road as I drove over the hill.

Frilly-necked lizardFrilly-necked lizard

The lizard let me get within 30 cm (1 foot) of its head. They can bite (but more usually just scamper off). Those spines on the edge of its neck frill look evil. At this close-up range the scales on its skin are quite evident. The lizard was about 40 cm (16 inches) long, plus some for the tail. The colour of the gravel road and the lizard reflect the harsh light and the heat of summer.

December 23, 2004 fauna


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Snake-necked turtle This Snake-necked Turtle, Chelodina longicollis, was spotted down by the dam late this afternoon. Turtles are quite shy creatures so this one hides
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Rosy Hyacinth Orchid The solitary specimen of Dipodium pulchellum (until proven otherwise), the Rosy Hyacinth Orchid, has at long last flowered. The flowering has helped