Dragons have a prominent place in the mythological traditions of virtually every culture on Earth, from the Far East to Latin America, but did you know that there are also plenty of real life dragons out there roaming the Earth?
Most people know about the famous Komodo Dragons of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands, but there’s another species of dragon that is far less well known.
These “mini dragons” originate from the Agamidae family of lizards and can be found populating the tropical forests of Southeast Asia.
Many are capable of soaring to extremely impressive heights within the jungle canopy, and it’s a real wonder to behold, as these pictures show.
If you were to see them in these teeming natural wonderlands, you might have to do a double-take.
But believe it or not these wondrous beasts are in fact real, and the cuteness factor they possess is out-of-this-world.
Flying dragons are classified under the genus Draco and belong to the Agamidae family of lizards, and can typically be found among the trees, where they behave much like flying squirrels.
These mini dragons can fly as far as 60 meters at a time by unfurling their wing-like webbing.
They also feature a set of ribs protruding from their sides, allowing them to glide through the air effortlessly while evading predators.
They use their tails to steer and rarely land on the ground until it’s time to breed.
Female Draco members lay their eggs in a hole in the ground before returning to the skies, leaving the hatchlings to fend for themselves.
Unlike the dragon antagonists in the King of Thrones or Lord of the Rings series’, these little guys don’t grow big enough to do any damage to human villages.
They typically reach a maximum length of about 20 centimeters (8 inches), and their diet consists mostly of ants and termites, as opposed to hapless peasants.
Males are known for their over-the-top displays, which include expanding their wings and bobbing up and down to draw attention to the colorful “dewlap” on their throats, similar to exotic birds.
Oftentimes, these majestic creatures can reach incredible heights while gliding through the treetops.
A sight for sore eyes to be sure.
When the time comes to create new mini-dragons, the courtship process begins with the males utilizing their folding membranes to attract their partners.
The female begins creating her nest on the forest floor before laying her eggs and covering them with leaves and soil.
She then abandons her eggs before returning to the heights after just a little more than 24 hours.
Each species has a different way of going about things, however.
They all have their own unique aspects that help make them so unique, and that’s just part of the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us.
The next time someone tells you dragons aren’t real, show them this story.
Be sure to share with any of your friends who still don’t know!
