Monogamous lizard in trouble

[Catherine]

It seems the Australian Bobtail lizard is in trouble. The are a lizard that can live seventy years and they are monogamous. And we are pushing them out and destroying their lives with our building and general urban sprawl.
Many are being brought into rescues because of injury, the result of our messing up their lives.


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-04/bo...rs/6912696

I really wonder what happens to a lizard that loses a mate. Do they choose another or do the grieve for the rest of their seventy years.

It is sad that an animal that is so harmless and lives so long is pushed aside by human interference. I wonder what goes through the mind of a lizard that lives so long.

[cathie]

Yes, it's sad, the way wildlife suffers because of us.

I hope they find another mate.

[Catherine]

I can't believe they live so long. Disrupting a life like that is a real crime against nature. We need to think before we start bulldozing and digging.

We are not the best neighbours to have. I am sure many species have reason to dislike us.

[Tobi]

The effects of humans on their lifestyle and/or habitat is quite dangerous in this case I should think. If they are monogamous by nature, then that means their mating habits are delicate in some way, and anything affecting that could mean a great decline in numbers...

There are also some birds who only have one mate in their whole lives, and if that mate dies, they don't mate again.

Whether they 'grieve' them (in terms of human understanding)for the rest of their lives or not is hard to say. But there must be a terrific bond that they somehow can't replace and don't wish to. Or perhaps there is a hormonal/chemical reaction to the death of a mate which renders them asexual?

[Catherine]

I would worry that they don't re-mate. They have a long life span and they have strong bonds. Two lizards that have been a couple for 40 or more years are not going to look for another partner. We need to be more sensitive to what we are doing in animals lives.

[Ruth]

They sure have long lives. It's ashame that wildlife people can't stop them from building new housing developments. Another example of Specieism or caring more about people than other creatures.

[Catherine]

I don't think people even consider lizards when they think about building. It would never occur to them that a lizard could live that long.

You are right, we only think about our own species.We don't even accept all members of our own species.

It is hard to imagine a lizard that is that old and has had the same mate all those years. In any species that is impressive.

[Ruth]

Well, I care about other species and so do you.

[Catherine]

The fact that some people care is enough to bring these stories to public attention. It may take a while before much good is done, but at least it is a start.

Some people are trying to protect the lizards. If they could find the pairs and rescue them together it would help. At least they make a point of putting rescued lizards back where they found them so they have a chance of reconnecting with a mate.