Every year on August 14, another holiday dedicated to representatives of the animal world is celebrated – World Lizard Day .

It is not exactly known who initiated it and when it was established. But, according to one version, the authorship of the Day is attributed to the American biologist John Hunter, who in 2004 came up with this holiday in order to draw attention to the threats to which reptiles are exposed and their importance in the planet’s ecosystem. Be that as it may, for several years now Lizard Day has been celebrated by herpetologists, zoo workers and lovers of these unusual creatures.

Lizards are a group of reptiles of the order Scaly, which live on all continents of planet Earth, with the exception of Antarctica, and on most oceanic archipelagos. According to scientists, there are more than 7 thousand species of lizards in the world, which are very diverse. In size, they can vary from a few centimeters and a weight of 1 gram (chameleons and geckos) to three meters in length (Komodo dragon) weighing about 80 kg. Some species of these reptiles can change the color of their skin, others can move along vertical surfaces, thanks to the features of their paws.

Most lizards swim well (and can even dive), and are also capable of autotomy – discarding the tail in case of danger. Moreover, later there is a full or partial restoration of the tail. Interestingly, due to the peculiarities of the retina, lizards see the world in orange, and they can also detect ultraviolet light. Their organ of touch is the tongue. Depending on the species, lizards live from one to 30 years.

Most lizards are carnivorous, but their diet depends on their size. For example, small and medium-sized species feed on insects, arachnids, mollusks, worms, and snails, while large ones, such as tegus and monitor lizards, eat frogs, snakes, other lizards, and even small birds and rodents, as well as bird and reptile eggs. But there are also species of lizards that feed exclusively or mainly on plants, and some are omnivorous. Moreover, they cannot chew; they swallow their food whole.

It is also important to note that these reptiles are some of the most ancient creatures on Earth. Their evolution spans 250 million years. Thus, in the Upper Jurassic period, geckos, iguanas, and monitor lizards lived, and lizards became widespread in the Tertiary period – due to the warm climate, their species diversity increased. According to scientists, only a group of giant mosasaur lizards, descended from monitor lizards and switched to a marine lifestyle at the end of the Cretaceous period, became extinct. By the way, even today, not all species of lizards living on Earth have been studied. Some – because of their small population, others – because they live in hard-to-reach areas.

^{The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world (Photo: Kirsten Wahlquist, licensed by Shutterstock.com)}

It is therefore not surprising that these creatures have always had their “fans”. For example, lizards are found in the myths and legends of the peoples of Australia, Polynesia, South America, Africa and Asia, where they were a symbol of wisdom, wealth and a harbinger of good changes. And due to the ability to molt and discard their tail, these reptiles were also associated with resurrection and rebirth.

By the way, most lizards (except for a few species) are completely harmless to humans. That is why they are often kept as pets. Among such species, chameleons, geckos, anoles, iguanas and agamas are popular. But in addition to aesthetics and exoticism, it is important to remember the role of lizards in the planet’s ecosystem (they maintain the balance of insects and some animal species, and help spread plant seeds), and therefore the need to preserve them. After all, many lizard species are on the verge of extinction, primarily due to the deterioration of the ecological situation in their natural habitat.

In connection with all of the above, it is not surprising that today’s holiday has appeared. In a number of countries, in honor of the holiday, zoologists, ecologists and lovers of these creatures organize educational events – lectures, excursions, games, video screenings, etc., with the goal of telling more about their “favorites” and teaching people not to be afraid of them, but to protect them, like any other representative of the animal world.

https://www.calend.ru/holidays/0/0/3908/

Machine Translated by Google