Green Crested Lizard

Finally, it was the start of the March Holidays, and so that meant that I would once again be visiting one of the Nature Reserves after all this while. I decided to go out on Monday and where I went was MacRitchie Reservoir. This had been my long-term plan but I did not know how to get there myself. Hence my cousin came along with me as he had been there several times before. Just as we alighted at the stop, I got my camera out, ready to shoot anything that catches my eye. I had not even reached the MacRitchie Reservoir Park, when a Green Lizard crossed the road just behind me. And I was surpriesd, for it was actually a Green Crested Liard!

I tried shooting it on the road itself but some guys walked by, and scared it towards the nearby plant. I did not want to miss the opportunity, so I immediatley followed it to the plant. Here are some shots I got.

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I really felt how different this lizard was, comparing to the Common Changeable Lizard. I was so close to this creature yet it did nothing but stare at me. The Changeable Lizard, on the other hand, would flee the moment it senses our arrival. Well, that should be why the Green Crested Lizards lost to the Changeable Lizard in urban areas.

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The plant that this lizard had climbed onto was actually an ornamental plant with huge thorns on it. While I tried to get my camera into the plant for a close-up shot, I actually pricked some of my fingers. Thats why I had to wait until the lizard climbed all the way up to the top of the plant, so that I could get some good shots. Here in this picture, you can see that the Green Crested Lizard was actually in an urban area, just that it was close to the Nature Reserve. Don't you see the road and the stairs in the background?

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While I was photographing the lizard, it actually gave me a good pose, with one front leg stretched, and its eyes looking at me but the face turned the other way. It looked like a model posing for the photograph.

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As it was actually the first time I had spotted a Green Crested Lizard, I took as many pictures as possible. Of these, here are some of my best.

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This fellow was a rather small one. Green Crested Lizards can reach up to 58 cm in length, but the one here was just about the size of a normal Changeable Lizard. This could have been an advantage, as if it were to be older or bigger, it would have been more wise and would not even have allowed me to spot it!

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And finally here's a last shot of it as it tried to climb up the top of the plant.

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After having taken all these shots, I though that this would be enough. I still had not even reached the Reservoir Park, but had been held up so long due to this lizard. Although I wasn't really expecting to find this little fellow, I'm glad that I did. But what I see tells me that these little creatures, sadly, may soon wipe out. Snakes like Whip Snakes and Bronzebacks feed largely on lizards, and although the Changeable Lizard is much more common than the Green Crested Lizard, Changeable Lizards are more agrresive and can escape even before their predators strikes at them. And, these snakes are also more common in wooded areas, the same place where Green Crested Lizards are more common.