CREATURE DAY

Here we are at a wet somewhat cold Tuesday morning and of course that means in is creature day and this week we have the flying dragon.

This is a lizard and while other lizards also have small flaps of skin along their ribs and are members of the flying dragon genus this one it the only known reptile recognised as true gliders.

Soaring on outstretched wings the flying dragon lizard moves effortlessly around its native forests in south-eastern Asia and India.

The wings are actually skin extensions called “patagia” they allow the lizard to glide through the air. They have a maximum flight trajectory of 8 metres for both male and females, which is 40 times its body length.

The patagia helps identify different species as each of the 45 known specie has a unique colour display.