The Victorian grassland earless dragon is an extraordinary species of lizard. Originally believed to have been extinct for 50 years, the fish gained notoriety once more after researchers rediscovered it on a sheep farm to the west of Melbourne, Australia two years ago. This wee little scaly friend, known to their pals as Tympanocryptis pinguicolla, is the last known population of their kind in existence. Its long-term future is currently in the balance, as its farming owners seek to sell part of their land to the Victorian state government to conserve it in perpetuity.
The farm owners have held onto non-industrial, World War II-era grazing practices as a way to protect the dragons. Now, they are trying to recoup some costs by selling prime habitat for the species. A significant challenge lies ahead. The rediscovery took place on one property just beyond the narrow acquisition zone established by the state government. This opportunity zone was created more than a decade ago. The Victorian government first committed to acquiring 15,000 hectares of remnant grasslands by 2020 to fight urban sprawl. It has only been able to purchase around 4,000 hectares, which is just over a quarter of its goal.
Rediscovery of a Forgotten Species
In 1948, scientists formally recognized the Victorian grassland earless dragon as a subspecies. It wasn’t until 2019 that it was fully recognized as its own separate species. Its unexpected reappearance on a Merino sheep property in 2021 offered a flicker of optimism to conservationists and ecological scientists across Australia. Today, the farm continues to flourish in one of the places that was once overlooked for conservation funding. Today, it provides a vitally important haven for this highly specialized lizard.
Ecologist Brendan Wintle from the University of Melbourne echoed the calls for urgent action, saying that without it, these dragons may soon be lost forever. He urged for greater resources to conduct translocations, a process of moving individuals to appropriate habitats. He stressed the significant priority of controlling ongoing threats, such as feral cats, that threaten their survival. It’s a pretty precarious state. Since the time of European colonization we’ve lost upwards of 98 percent of the grasslands that these dragons now call home.
Your Biodiversity Council has an uphill battle ahead. They urge increasing resources to scout suitable habitats for the Victorian grassland earless dragon. They advocate for translocating zoo-bred lizards to establish at least 12 new wild populations, effectively creating a safety net for this endangered species.
Government Commitments and Challenges
The Andrews Labor government is committed to the highest levels of biodiversity protection. They expressed this commitment through the Melbourne Strategic Assessment (MSA), developed in collaboration with the Australian federal government. This deal smartly keeps suburban development from spilling into other sensitive areas, while protecting important critical habitats. Not fulfilling these commitments might very well leave the state—which is already in breach of its pact—breaching its deal.
Experts such as Monash University Professor Mark Wintle remind us that time is critical. As for not acting in favor of the dragons, he cautions that such inaction would be “irresponsible.” He reiterated that having lost the species the first time, fate had dealt the world a very bad hand. Allowing it to slip away once more would be an avoidable calamity.
Even with the urgent need to act, bureaucratic barriers make it hard. More than 13 years ago, the state government worked with local partners to create an acquisition zone. The property where the dragons were found is not included in that environmental conservation area. As a result, obtaining this land will involve going through lengthy regulatory mazes that could slow or prevent urgent conservation work.
Grazing Practices and Conservation Efforts
For generations, land managers have implemented sustainable grazing management practices. These practices help ensure the continued protection of the range of the critically endangered Victorian grassland earless dragon. Reptile ecologist Peter Robertson warned that any reversing of these long ingrained practices would be catastrophic to the last few lizards. Preserving the ecological integrity of this coastal paradise—one of the most biologically diverse environments in the world—is vital to their survival.
While negotiations play out between the owners and the Victorian government over possible acquisition, campaigners argue that the government should act without delay. They argue that proactive measures are essential to mitigate threats and ensure that the remaining population of Victorian grassland earless dragons can flourish in its natural habitat.
Protecting this endangered species means saving more than one lizard. It brings to light the fundamental environmental issues of habitat destruction and biodiversity conservation in our country. The Victorian grassland earless dragon is critically endangered and under immediate threat. Her story exposes the troubling dichotomy between conservation efforts and the push to grow cities outward.
