Sailfin lizard
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| Sailfin lizard | ||||||||||||||
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| Hydrosaurus pustulatus |
The Sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus) is an oviparous lizard living only in the Philippines. It is classed by the IUCN as vulnerable.
The Sailfin lizard is an excellent swimmer and has flattened toes that enable it to run across water. It is omnivorous, feeding on fruit, leaves, flowers, insects, and small animals. It lives near rivers in the tropical forests of the Philippines. Males have a larger crest on their back than the females.
The Philippine Sailfin Lizard lives mainly beside water e.g. rivers, riverbanks, ricefields etc. as these lizards love to swim. The adults may reach up to a meter in length. These lizards are commonly found in the Philippine provinces particularly, Leyte, Negros, Panay Islands, Samar and other nearby provinces. They are hunted for food as they taste like chicken.
Some are kept and bred as pets or sold in the petshops. Sailfins are more docile than Monitors which makes them easier to handle but they are difficult to find in the wild. They are sold at high prices (even up to 10,000 pesos or higher) in pet shops. Breeding Sailfins in captivity needs an ample space for a pair of Sailfins. The enclosure needs a water basin for the Sailfins to swim, plants and food. A 5 foot by 5 foot enclosure is enough. They eat fruits, insects, frogs, even small animals like rodents and vegetables/plants.
[edit] References
- World Conservation Monitoring Centre (1996). Hydrosaurus pustulatus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
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