The Australian Blue-Tongued Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides) is a skink – a reptile. The Eastern Australian Blue-Tongued Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) is native specifically to southern and eastern Australia.

The Eastern Australian Blue-Tongued Lizard has a thick body and short legs. It has a distinct head. It has a blue tongue, and flat teeth. It can be varied colours, but is usually brown and brown-grey. The photographed Blue-Tongued Lizard is albino.

Eastern Australian Blue-Tongue Lizard

It measures about 40 centimetres (16 inches) long.

The Eastern Australian Blue-Tongued Lizard is native to eastern and southern Australia, in the states of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, and South Australia.

It is diurnal, active during the day. It is terrestrial – ground-dwelling – and is found in rural and urban habitats.

The Eastern Australian Blue-Tongued Lizard is omnivorous, eating slugs and snails, as well as insects, flowers, and fruit. It has very strong jaws and will often not let go when it bites an animal.

If startled, it will show predators its blue tongue, and it may hiss to appear to be like a snake.

It is ovoviviparous, which means that eggs hatch inside the female’s body and she gives birth to live young. Females have 5-25 live young.

It lives for about 30 years.

Eastern Australian Blue-Tongue Lizard

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM