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The eastern bluetongue is one of the most familiar reptiles in Australia. They can reach 60cm in length. The legs are small and sometimes people can’t see them and with the triangular head sometimes people think that they are dangerous snakes and will kill them. The body is grey or pale brown with around a dozen darker bands around the body and tail. The belly is cream or yellowish-white. Although not normally aggressive, bluetongues can inflict a painful bite if harassed. Usually, however, they like to deter predators with a loud hiss and opening the mouth to show the vivid blue tongue.

Did You Know? In winter, all bluetongues enter hibernation. Although sometimes on the warmest winter days they may come out to sit in the sun for short periods but no feeding takes place. As the weather warms up in spring the lizards come out to warm their bodies, a lot of the time they sit on roads, which often leads to devastating outcomes.
 

Habitat: The eastern bluetongue is found in eastern and northern Australia. Its natural habitat is woodland, grassland and country but it can be found in urban and suburban gardens and parks where it controls pests such as slugs and snails.

Diet: The eastern bluetongue's diet includes vegetation, berries, flowers, insects and snails.