A.K.5000 Philippine Sailfin Lizard
Like 1 Dislike 0 Published on 18 Apr 2018
Hi everyone, here's my first AK5000 wildlife video of 2018 about the Philippine sailfin lizard this time. I was at Dudley Zoo in the reptile house when I was filming four of these lizards. The Philippine sailfin lizard is notable not only for its impressive size of up to a metre in length, but also for its rather spectacular appearance. Adults of this large mottled greenish-grey lizard boast a well-developed crest of tooth-like scales from the nape of the neck down the back. However, the most distinctive feature of adult males is the erect ‘sail’ of skin at the base of their tail, up to 8 centimetres high, which provides propulsion for this strong swimmer to move through the water, and probably also plays an important role in territorial display and thermoregulation. Another adaptation to its watery environment is the large, flattened toes that help the lizard to swim, and even enable it to ‘run’ across the water’s surface, observed particularly in the lighter juveniles. Little is known about the social behaviour of this lizard. Females breed once a year, but can lay several clutches of eggs in a good season. Like their parents, hatchlings are good swimmers and will readily seek refuge in the water to escape approaching danger. The Philippine sailfin lizard is omnivorous, feeding on a wide variety of plant material such as leaves, shoots, and fruit, and opportunistically supplementing its diet with the occasional insect or crustacean. Often called the ‘sailfin water lizard’ or ‘sailfin water dragon’, this semi-aquatic species is at home equally both in water and in trees. Its days are spent in vegetation overhanging unpolluted mountain streams of the Philippine islands’ tropical rainforest, dropping into the water and swimming to the bottom at the first sign of danger, staying submerged for 15 minutes or more until they believe the coast is clear. Sadly, the enigmatic Philippine sailfin lizard is threatened by ongoing habitat loss and degradation, in addition to hunting pressure, primarily for the pet trade. A European captive breeding programme has been set up by Chester Zoo, and efforts are now underway at three local rescue and breeding centres in Negros and Panay, Philippines, to establish local breeding, research and education projects based around Philippine sailfin lizards. However, until the species, its distribution, abundance, and the threats it faces, have been more thoroughly investigated, it is extremely difficult to identify and act upon its conservation needs.
Other Facts
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Agamidae
Scientific Name: Hydrosaurus pustulatus
Length: 80-100 cm
Weight: 2.3-3 kg
Number of Eggs: 2-8
Incubation Period: 2 months
Lifespan: Up to 25 years
Distribution: Philippines
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
All facts and information are based on what I've researched on the internet or read about in books or heard from other animal experts when I travel to other different countries around the world.