The Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon has been spotted in the wild for the first time in 50 years, according to ABC News Australia.
The Natural History Museum of London celebrated with a tweet that stated, “It’s not a myth: this #dragon is very much alive!”
It's not a myth: this #dragon is very much alive! ?
— Natural History Museum (@NHM_London) June 28, 2023
Last seen in the 1960s, there were fears the Victorian grassland earless dragon had become extinct following #HabitatLoss and #InvasiveSpecies.
Find out how it was rediscovered in this #NatureNews ?https://t.co/bDYa4UbxS3
They attached their report of the finding, which included comments from Victoria’s Minister for the Environment, Ingrid Stitt.
She stated, “This is an amazing discovery and offers an opportunity for us to recover a species once thought lost to our state and the world. With the help of our partners we will continue to fight the extinction of this Critically Endangered species, ensuring future generations can see and learn about this incredibly unique lizard.”
The Australian government released the details Monday, which explained the species was feared to be extinct.
They also noted, “This cryptic species has remained hidden for the past 54 years despite ongoing searches. Once common in native grasslands west of Melbourne, their numbers declined due to habitat loss and predators like foxes and feral cats.”
The announcement then explained that the government is working with various zoos on the continent to ensure the survival of the Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon.
According to a report from the Melbourne Zoo, an effort to breed the similarly related Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon has been ongoing. This noted the zoo was able to hatch 16 of the lizards in 2019 and 22 of them in 2020.
The Grassland Earless Dragon was put on display at that time, and Melbourne Zoo Ectotherms Keeper Rory Keenan stated, “One of the reasons we have these Canberra Grassland Earless Dragons here at Melbourne Zoo is so that we can learn as much as we can about their captive husbandry in the hope that, if we do find the Victorian species, we can start working on recovering that species as well.”
