El Hierro Giant Lizard | The El Hierro Giant Lizard is a species that can be found on the island of El Hierro,
one of the Canary Islands (Spain). The species was once present
throughout much of the island and on the small offshore Roque Chico de
Salmor, but is now confined to a small areas of cliff with sparse
vegetation. It is currently restricted to the southern end of the Risco
de Tibataje, in la Fuga de Gorreta, located between Guinea and the
so-called Paso del Pino.
El Hierro giant lizard is
a thickset reptile with a broad head. Adults are dark grey to brown in
colour, with two rows of pale orange patches running along its sides.
Its belly is mostly brown, but has an orange to red colouration towards
the middle. Older El Hierro Giant Lizards are mainly black with
some grey. Males are larger than females. El Hierro Giant Lizard is a
very large lacertid that can grow beyond 20 cm in length, and lives
only on the Hierro Island of Spain's Canary Islands. It used to exist
in a broader area but now only exists in a certain part of Hierro
Island. Their number is down to a mere 300 to 400, including those
returned to wilderness by humans.
The El Hierro giant lizard is omnivorous.
It eats plants and insects. Mating begins in May and the 5 to 13 eggs
are laid from June until the end of August. Their eggs hatch after 61
days. Many reptiles become active after raising their body temperature
by sunbathing. The body of the El Hierro Giant Lizard can be as hot as 40 degrees Celsius after sunbathing.
The number of El Hierro Giant
Lizards has dropped because of a scarcity in food plants and an increase
in attacks by seagulls and other animals. Although the extent of
human-induced changes to the ecosystem is unknown, with so few El Hierro
Giant Lizards in existence, any further human-induced changes to their
environment could cause them to go extinct in a flash. To avoid this tragic scenario, Spain has enlisted the entire country to help protect the El Hierro Giant Lizard.
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