Australia’s outback is world-renowned for its incredible wildlife. But there are still animals that leave even locals completely stumped.
Council worker Brandon Hawkins was watering trees in the incredibly rural town of Laverton this week when he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. He told Yahoo News it was just “a little movement” next to a post supporting a tree in the Goldfields region of Western Australia that sparked his interest.
“I stopped and saw the head, so I got out to have a look, and she ran under the car and wedged herself under the wheel,” he said.
Hawkins jumped in the car to roll forward so he wouldn’t hurt the tiny creature.
Hawkins considers himself pretty adept at identifying reptiles, but it was the pebble mimic dragon — a type of lizard that left him completely stumped.
The tiny species, which grows up to 15cm in size and is found only in the Goldfields of WA, is notoriously mistaken for a stone due to its impressive camouflage abilities.
“I’ve seen lots of lizards and I’m usually pretty good at knowing at least a similar one, but this was a first for me,” he said.
“At first I thought it was a baby turtle, which is literally impossible where we live.
“It wasn’t until I picked her up that I knew she was a lizard of some type.”
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In the remote region of the Goldfields, a pebble mimic dragon was discovered. Source: Google Maps/Brandon Hawkins
Aussies marvel as rare creature ‘pops out’ to say hello
Sightings of the tiny rare creature are incredibly rare, but another Aussie was lucky enough to catch a glimpse earlier this year.
Melbourne resident Jordan Briane Seed was prospecting for gold when one popped out of a hole and “scared the Jeebus” out of her.
“I thought it might have been a rock at first, and I put my scoop towards it and then it kind of moved… I was fascinated,” she told Yahoo at the time.
Jordan Briane Seed (middle) believes the pebble mimic dragon was a ‘good luck charm’ for her after finding gold. Source: Supplied
How the lizard helped the prospector find gold
After recovering from her initial shock, Jordan was delighted to find the lizard and decided to show her mates what she found, before stumbling upon something she’d been looking for all day — a nugget of gold.
Jordan said she couldn’t believe her luck, deeming the lizard her “good luck charm” after finding the gold nugget.
After her first discovery she claims she was “on a roll” after spotting the lizard.
Seed found a nugget of gold when she was returning the lizard back to its original hiding place. Source: Supplied
Pebble mimic dragons are given their name due to how well they camouflage into the red dirt of the outback. Source: Supplied
‘Rare’ to spot harmless lizard in wild
The chances of spotting the lizard in the wild are even slimmer given their ability to camouflage into the red dirt.
Wildlife expert and reptile enthusiast Mathew Hampton previously told Yahoo News he has never spotted one himself.
“They don’t occur at all in Queensland and NSW, they’re very much a Western Australian lizard,” he said.
“They are just one of those real rare ones.”
The lizard species have a round body which resembles a stone and it helps make them invisible to predators.
They remain motionless if seen, with movement often being their only giveaway.
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