On a recent trip to Brisbane (Australia) we took a walk through the Botanic Gardens in the heart of the downtown area. It’s a beautiful, lush, green oasis that’s perfect for a bit of time out whether you are working or just touring around.
We were very surprised to come across this wildlife native whilst strolling along one of the walking paths by the lake. The Water Dragon is, as its name suggests, a reptile that makes its habitat in and around water areas like lakes, creeks and rivers. Australian water dragons are extremely shy in the wild, but readily adapt to continual human presence in suburban parks and gardens. They are fast runners and strong climbers. When faced with a potential predator, they seek cover in thick vegetation, or drop from an overhanging branch into water. They are able to swim totally submerged, and rest on the bottom of shallow creeks or lakes for up to 90 minutes, to avoid detection.
The interesting thing we noted is that it was very well camouflaged with its surroundings and only spotted it on second glance. A treat for the eyes, certainly.
