Eastern Water Dragon

Eastern Water Dragon
Physignathus lesueurii

This dragon is named after its preferred habitat along creeks and rivers. Capable swimmers, they readily enter water to escape predators and can rest on the bottom for up to 90 minutes. Adult males have bolder colour and larger heads than females and grow to around a metre long. Although shy in the wild, this species has adapted to life in suburban parks and gardens.

Distribution: eastern Australia from Victoria to Queensland
Conservation status: not assessed
Evolutionary distinctiveness: High