Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis
Extant (resident): Brunei Darussalam; Indonesia (Kalimantan); Malaysia (Sarawak, Sabah)
The #Borneo Forest Dragon, also known as the Borneo Anglehead #Lizard is a vividly coloured lizard native to Borneo. This arboreal #reptile is known for their prominent crest and beautifully camouflaged body, allowing them to blend seamlessly into their rainforest surroundings. Found primarily in undisturbed and secondary rainforests, the Borneo Forest Dragon thrives in humid environments, often near streams.Although the latest assessment by IUCN Red List revealed that they are ‘least concern’, the plans to move the capital of Indonesia to Kalimantan is concerning to conservationists and animal lovers alike. Rampant habitat loss from #palmoil and #timber #deforestation on the island of Borneo posses a grave threat. Protect these striking animals and their rainforest home when you #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife!
youtu.be/gN-KYLuDvPg?si=EGkkEN…
Cheeky, charismatic Borneo Forest #Dragons 🦎are the most beautiful #lizards you’ve never heard of. Living inside of #Borneo’s #forests, threats include #palmoil #deforestation and more. Help them survive #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-8PU
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Borneo Forest Dragons 🦎 are cold-blooded #reptile royalty in the #rainforests of #Malaysia and #Indonesia. Endless forests are being destroyed for #palmoil and #mining. Fight for #lizards 👊💚when u shop #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-8PU
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Appearance & Behaviour
Male Borneo Forest Dragons are bigger than females, with longer tails and a more prominent crest. They lay up to four eggs per clutch, which are deposited in a small burrow in the soil. Their colouration provides excellent camouflage from predators in the rainforest canopy, where they spend most of their time.
Males can grow to up to 13.6 cm long and with longer tails than females, who are slightly smaller. These lizards stand out thanks to the crest on their necks and backs, which looks like a sharp, lance-shaped ridge. Males and females show colour dimorphism, with males typically brown, olive, and green, with dark patterns. Meanwhile females have a striking rust-red colour with oval spots on their sides.
Found in the vines and tree trunks of primary and secondary rainforests, these lizards are tree-dwellers, spending most of their time in the forest canopy. When they feel threatened, they raise their bodies and flare the crest on their neck to look bigger.
Threats
Palm oil and timber deforestation
The primary threat to the Borneo Forest Dragon is habitat loss due to the clearing of forests for agriculture, including palm oil plantations, and logging activities. As rainforests are cut down, lizards lose access to the trees they depend on for shelter, food, and breeding sites. Fragmentation of their habitat isolates populations and increases their vulnerability to other threats. They are also threatened by agricultural run-off and toxic pesticides impacting their fragile ecosystem.
Habitat destruction
Selective logging and human encroachment have fundamentally changed the structure of the forest making it less suitable for arboreal species like the Borneo Forest Dragon and other reptiles. Secondary forests, while still viable habitats, do not offer the same quality of resources as primary forests.
Climate change
Extreme weather and changes to rainfall patterns due to climate change are likely to threaten their rainforest ecosystem. This shift in weather conditions may disrupt their breeding and food availability, forcing them to move to less suitable environments.
Diet
The Borneo Forest Dragon is an insectivore, feeding primarily on small invertebrates found in their rainforest habitat. These lizards may opportunistically eat other small prey available in the forest, hunting in the trees.
Mating & Reproduction
Borneo anglehead lizards reproduce by laying eggs. Females deposit up to four eggs in a small burrow dug in the soil. The eggs, which are around 22 mm in length, are laid at intervals of three months. The species’ arboreal nature means they rely on well-structured forests with plenty of trees and lianas for shelter and nesting sites.
Habitat
The Borneo Forest Dragon is endemic to the island of Borneo. Their range includes Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) and Indonesia (Kalimantan), along with the Kingdom of Brunei. The Borneo Anglehead Lizard inhabits primary and secondary rainforests up to 700 metres above sea level. Preferring humid environments near streams where they can find abundant food and nesting sites.
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Ecology Asia. (2024). Borneo anglehead lizard. Retrieved from ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/…
Iskandar, D. & McGuire, J. 2019. Gonocephalus bornensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T99929470A99929479. dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.201…. Accessed on 15 September 2024.
Wikipedia contributors. (2024). Gonocephalus bornensis. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonoceph…
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3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
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A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
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Philippine Sailfin Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus
Philippine Sailfin Lizard (Sailfin Water Lizard) Hydrosaurus pustulatus
Extant (resident)
Philippines, West Papua
youtu.be/lr2xcl3QQR8
Stunning bright coloured Philippine sailfin lizards are becoming more and more rare due to #palmoil #deforestation across their range in #WestPapua #Philippines and eastern #Indonesia. They are also threatened by hunting and the illegal pet trade. Males turn a dark violet colour during mating season and flare their extravagant sail-like fins to announce their mating prowess. They have a third eye on the top of their head which enables them to sense sunlight. Help them survive every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Stunning vividly coloured Philippine Sailfin #Lizards 🦎😍 of #WestPapua and #Philippines 🇵🇭 need you to fight for them! Use your wallet as a weapon in the supermarket @palmoildetect #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔🚫🧐 #Boycott4Wildlife palmoildetectives.com/2023/11/…
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Amazing Philippine Sailfin #Lizards of #WestPapua can walk on water and turn purple during the mating season 🧙♂️🪄🦎💜 They are decreasing in number due to multiple threats. Help their survival when you #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🚫 @palmoildetect palmoildetectives.com/2023/11/…
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Although this animal was previously recorded on IUCN Red List as being ‘Least Concern’ 100,000’s of hectares of rainforest in Papua and Philippines have since disappeared for palm oil – so likely, this rating is longer relevant. These lizards are most likely going to be upgraded to ‘vulnerable’ or ‘endangered’ due to massive deforestation throughout their range.
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Appearance & Behaviour
Stunning bright coloured Philippine sailfin lizards are becoming more and more rare from palm oil deforestation across their range in #WestPapua #Philippines and eastern #Indonesia.
The Philippine sailfin lizard is also known by the common names sailfin water lizard, crested lizard, sailfin lizard and the soa-soa water lizard.
Found on the islands that make up the Philippines, New Guinea and Eastern Indonesia.
Known for their dramatic and attractive colouration patterns and sail-like dorsal crests which give them the appearance of a dragon – these lizards are prized on the illegal pet trade.
Philippine Sailfin Lizards belong to the genus Hydrosaurus meaning water lizard. Juvenile lizards have the ability of running on water due to the structure of their feet and toe pads which are flat and enable this.
These fascinating lizards are studied carefully by herpetologists and other sciences as their colouration and form is unique.
Philippine Sailfin Lizard by Kirkamon, Wikipedia
Male lizards use their impressive sail-like dorsal fins as forms of territorial display between males competing for mates.
These large and brightly coloured lizards can grow anywhere between 06.-1.2 metres in length and weigh between 1.3 – 2.2 kg.
Their sail-like crest helps them with mating territorial displays, and as a way of moderating the body’s temperature, but it’s also used as a ballast for balance when swimming.
Males have a larger crest, bigger head and darker limbs. During the mating season the head and neck of the male lizard becomes a vivid violet colour, whereas only the female’s crest can become violet during the mating season.
Philippine sailfin lizards have dark green and brown skin with yellow patches on the back side of their body and near their heads.
They use their flattened tail like a rudder to propel themselves through the water and quickly evade predators. In the presence of predators they can drop from tree branches and swim to the bottom of a river and stay there for up to 15 minutes holding their breath.
They have a vestigal eye (also known as a parietal or pineal eye) this is at the top of their skull and is thought to be used to give them a sense of direction and light from the sun.
Threats
The threats to the two species of Hydrosaurus in the Philippines are generally very similar. Populations appear to be principally threatened by habitat loss, often the conversion of wooded land to alternative uses (including agriculture), and through logging operations. In addition, animals (especially hatchlings) are heavily collected for both the pet trade (national and possibly international) and local consumption. Because of inter-island trade, there is some possibility of introduced animals mixing with indigenous populations. In some parts of is range it is additionally threatened by water pollution resulting from the use of agrochemicals and increased sedimentation.
IUCN RED LIST
Philippine sailfin lizards face a number of human-related threats, including:
- Palm oil, meat and timber deforestation: Habitat loss is a major threat.
- Collection for the illegal pet trade: Despite collection being legally limited in Philippines these lizards are still collected in the illegal pet trade and exported to the USA, especially in Indonesia.
- Hunting and poaching
- Industrial agriculture pollution and run-off: Pollution and agrochemicals from palm oil plantations
Habitat
The Philippine sailfin lizard is found in tropical wooded habitats, mangroves, rice-fields, riverine environments and near bodies of freshwater. They are found on several islands in the Philippines including Guimaras, Romblon, Negros, and Cebu, New Guinea, West Papua and some of eastern Indonesia.
Diet
These lizards are omnivores and will eat a varied diet of plants including leaves and fruits in addition to insects and crustaceans.
Mating and breeding
Philippine sailfin lizards are completely reliant upon access to a river or stream in order to mate and reproduce.
Female Philippine sailfin lizards are able to lay several clutches of eggs a year that each can contain anywhere between 2 and 8 eggs. These eggs are nestled into the soil near a river or stream for an incubation period of two months and then hatchlings emerge.
As hatchlings the lizards are born with natural agility and swiftness, including being able to run along the surface of water to evade predators.
Support Philippine Sailfin Lizard by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Ledesma, M., Brown, R., Sy, E. & Rico, E.L. 2009. Hydrosaurus pustulatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2009: e.T10335A3194587. dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.200…. Accessed on 31 October 2022.
Sailfin Water Lizard Hydrosaurus pustulatus on Wikipedia
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,179 other subscribers
2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
Read more
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…
twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…
twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support
#animals #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #illegalPetTrade #Indonesia #lizards #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #PhilippineSailfinLizardHydrosaurusPustulatus #Philippines #poachers #poaching #Reptile #SouthEastAsia #VulnerableSpecies #WestPapua #WestPapua
Stunning bright coloured Philippine sailfin #lizards are becoming more and more rare from palm oil deforestation across their range in #WestPapua #Philippine...
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