Dragons are the name given to several real animal species. Unfortunately, many species did not survive for too long.
Everyone thinks dragons are purely fictional creatures, existing only in novels, comics, and movies. But if “dragon” is considered a general term, it turns out there are indeed some real-life animals on Earth referred to as dragons.
Of course, these are not majestic, fire-breathing dragons like Drogon in Game of Thrones. Such dragons do not exist. Instead, real-life dragons are also quite fascinating. The most famous is the Komodo dragon – Indonesia’s formidable mascot, with superior hunting abilities and extremely potent venom in its saliva.
The Extinct Earless Dragon
Beyond the Komodo dragon, we have smaller “dragons.” For instance, the lizard in the image below is also called a dragon. Its name is the grassland earless dragon (Tympanocryptis), and unfortunately, its habitat has been severely destroyed to the point that it was last seen 50 years ago.
The scientific name of this creature is Tympanocryptis, and they are among the rare creatures referred to as dragons. This name became even more popular after they were listed as endangered, aiming to increase public attention to a species on the brink of extinction.
These earless dragons are lizard-like, wingless, about 15cm long, and live in low grasslands. They lack external ear holes, hence the name “earless dragon.”
There are four species: T. lineata, T. pinguicolla, T. osbornei, and T. mccartneyi – separated by hundreds of kilometers. The earless dragon in the image belongs to the subspecies T. pinguicolla, once native to Melbourne.
Previously, all four species were grouped together because they were very difficult to distinguish. It was only when experts from the Victoria Museum used evidence from DNA and X-rays that we identified them as distinct subspecies. And precisely because they were so similar, it took humans a long time to realize that one branch of this dragon species had disappeared.
Australia’s Reptile Extinction Crisis
In recent decades, Australia has seen the extinction of many animal species, at a much higher rate than other continents. At least 29 mammal species have vanished due to habitat destruction, invasive species, and climate change.
Among these, reptiles have suffered an even greater tragedy. It’s unclear whether it’s because they are difficult to detect or haven’t been thoroughly studied, but many reptile species have disappeared without anyone realizing it. At least 31 species are listed as extinct, or extinct in the wild.
Recently, public attention in Australia has focused on another reptile: the Bellinger River turtle – a species that has lost 90% of its population due to a viral attack. Ten virus-free turtles have been found, and plans are underway to breed them in captivity.
Hopefully, their future won’t be as tragic as that endured by the tiny dragons mentioned above.
