The Uromastyx is a genus of lizard whose members are better-known as Spiny-tailed lizards, uros, mastigures, or dabb lizards. Uromastyx are primarily herbivorous, but occasionally eat insects, especially when young. They spend most of their waking hours basking in the sun, hiding in underground chambers at daytime or when danger appears. They tend to establish themselves in hilly, rocky areas with good shelter and accessible vegetation. (Wikipedia)
I did not know that in the Israeli desert near Eilat is a place which is unofficially called: Lizard Land.
Then yesterday I got a photo presentation via e-mail from Mori Chen and it took me totally off guard! These amazing creatures have a life span of more than 20 years and can reach a length of up to 75 cm. Called Hardon Zav חרדון צב in Hebrew, they can be found in several places in the desert here. Their beauty certainly is in the eyes of the beholder, but they surely are very special!
Mori Chen took photos of two male lizards fighting over a female. They got entangled in fisherman's yarn, which was probably placed there by hunters, trying to catch the lizards and putting them up for sale. When Mori and the wildlife ranger, who accompanied him, saw danger for the lizards, because of the yarn, they ended the fight, put them out of their misery and released them again.
Then yesterday I got a photo presentation via e-mail from Mori Chen and it took me totally off guard! These amazing creatures have a life span of more than 20 years and can reach a length of up to 75 cm. Called Hardon Zav חרדון צב in Hebrew, they can be found in several places in the desert here. Their beauty certainly is in the eyes of the beholder, but they surely are very special! Mori Chen took photos of two male lizards fighting over a female. They got entangled in fisherman's yarn, which was probably placed there by hunters, trying to catch the lizards and putting them up for sale. When Mori and the wildlife ranger, who accompanied him, saw danger for the lizards, because of the yarn, they ended the fight, put them out of their misery and released them again.
Open the link, take a visual tour to the desert and enjoy these very special and fantastic photos!
Thank you so much Mori for sharing this experience and for permitting me to write about it here!
2 comments:
How fascinating, Yael! (I'm wondering if those two males called a truce after their fight and getting entangled by those fisherman's yarn...that was a close call, and you know the saying, 'We are fools to fight our brother's in arms'...I found this thoroughly entertaining!
Wow, unbelievable! They're eNORmous, gosh. In some of those photos it looks like they're wearing bags for skin (ha!).
The fisherman's line issue was so upsetting. What happens when they get caught up like that but there isn't a wildlife ranger to come save the day? How horrible if it was deliberately left there for the purpose of ensnaring them.
Post a Comment