“Rescued in the nick of time!” Recently, a homeowner in Australia was digging in their backyard when they noticed flies swarming around an unusual mound of soil. Intrigued, the homeowner moved closer to investigate and discovered a cluster of bright white eggs beneath the dirt. Unsure of the next steps, they reached out to WIRES Wildlife Rescue for assistance. Danielle, a WIRES volunteer, responded promptly to the call and hurried to the site.
Upon arrival, Danielle immediately recognized the eggs as belonging to water dragons. According to the Australian Museum, these reptiles are Australia’s largest dragon lizards and prefer habitats along the coast, in rainforests, near streams, or any location with abundant water and tree cover.
Although the eggs appeared abandoned, Danielle knew this was not the case.
“Female water dragons dig shallow nests in sunny spots, often near a creek, river, or lake,” Danielle explained. “After laying the eggs, they cover them with soil and check on them briefly before leaving them to hatch around three months later. The hatchlings are born fully independent and instinctively seek out nearby water.”
Knowing the eggs needed a safe place to hatch, Danielle placed them in an incubator. It didn’t take long for the baby water dragons to emerge.
“It was incredible,” Danielle said. “They hatched just a week later, so they were rescued just in time.” Danielle then transported the babies back to the area where she found them. Watching the water dragons scurry back into the wild, Danielle felt a deep sense of pride.
“Being able to rehabilitate and release native wildlife back into their natural habitat is why I volunteer,” Danielle said. “It makes all the effort truly worthwhile.”