Blotched Blue-tongue Lizard

Common Name: Blotched Blue-tongue Lizard, also known as the Southern Blue-tongue Lizard

Scientific Name: Tiliqua nigrolutea

Native to: South-eastern Australia

What does it look like: Blue-tongue Lizards have long bodies, large ears, and short legs. Their tail is shorter than their body. They have a fleshy blue tongue used to taste the air and scare off potential predators. The Blotched Blue-tongue lizards found in Tasmania are generally shades of grey and brown with blotches of silver or tan along their back.

Diet and Habitat: This species exists throughout Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory. It likes to inhabit open forests and woodlands with lots of ground cover, like shrubs. The Blotched Blue-tongue Lizard is an omnivore that eats plants and animals. It will eat lots of different insects, snails, and sometimes small animals like mice, as well as flowers, fruit, leaves, and other plants.

STEM Fun Fact: Blotched Blue-tongue Lizards can detach their tail from their body if it is caught by a predator, allowing it to escape.