Funny Holidays - World Lizard Day

World Lizard Day is celebrated annually on August 14th This is not a well-known event; only wildlife lovers know about it Who established such a holiday and when exactly it began to be celebrated, unfortunately, is not known But this date is a good opportunity to remember unusual reptiles and do something for them Indeed, of the 6,263 species of lizards existing today, many are on the verge of extinction The reasons for this are the following factors: • loss of their natural habitat due to environmental degradation; • the emergence and widespread distribution of new, dangerous predators for lizards, such as dogs and cats Lizards live all over the world, in a variety of environments - from large cities to deserts and tropical forests Depending on the type of reptile, their diet varies significantly There are carnivorous species, omnivores, feeding only on insects or mainly plant foods: young shoots, foliage, fruits Medium and small lizards eat mainly invertebrates Large ones, such as tegus and monitor lizards, attack frogs, snakes, birds, other lizards and small mammals The largest known lizard, the Komodo dragon, is capable of attacking even wild pigs and deer Some species are still poorly studied due to their small population size or living in inaccessible areas Most lizards have fairly developed limbs, but there are also legless forms The latter are similar in appearance to snakes, but they retain the sternum and, most often, the girdles of the limbs Most modern reptiles are completely harmless to humans Only two species are poisonous, but their poison is not toxic enough to harm or kill humans At worst, it will cause severe pain The so-called toad-shaped or horned lizards have an interesting feature Representatives of this little-studied species are capable of releasing streams of their own blood from their eyes and nose when a predator appears This occurs due to a sharp increase in blood pressure The jet shoots at a distance of up to 15 meters, scaring away the attacker 1 The smallest of these reptiles reach only one and a half centimeters, and the largest have a length of more than 3 meters and weigh up to 166 kilograms 2 The lifespan of different species of lizards varies from one year to 30 years 3 The body of such reptiles copes with a lack of water in an original way - simply by secreting excess salt They form a white coating on the body 4 Almost all species are mute and have no vocal cords The only exception is one species - Geckos 5 A lizard's eyeballs can look in different directions In addition, their vision allows them to capture ultraviolet light 6 Throughout their lives, reptiles grow That's why they shed their skin, it just becomes small 7 Chameleons do not change color for the purpose of camouflage In this way they react to changes in lighting and ambient temperature Also, a change in color may indicate an emotional state or health characteristics 8 Most cultures associate lizards with something positive So the ancient Egyptians considered them a symbol of wealth and wisdom, and the American Indians considered them a harbinger of good changes On International Lizard Day, it makes sense to learn more about these interesting creatures and share knowledge with others, conduct an information campaign for adults or children It would also be a good idea to make a donation to a charitable foundation dedicated to the conservation of rare species