Eastern water dragon fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are eastern water dragons?

Eastern water dragons are medium to large-sized lizards that live around creeks, rivers and lakes in eastern Australia.

The scientific name of the eastern water dragon is Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii. The Darug Peoples of Sydney refer to lizards as deregal.

Eastern water dragons are one of the oldest groups of Australian reptiles. While many other groups of reptiles have evolved over time the eastern water dragon has barely changed in 20 million years.

Eastern water dragon

What do eastern water dragons look like?

Eastern water dragons have a distinctive tail that is much longer than their body. The tail is two-thirds the length of a water dragon’s body.

Water dragons have a row of spines which runs from their head down their back and along their tail. Males have larger heads than females, with stronger jowls and crests and can grow to one metre long.

The colours of eastern water dragons vary from grey to dark green to brown. They have a dark stripe behind their eyes and often have a reddish tinge on their throats and chest. Mature males have a bright red chest.

Eastern water dragons have long toes and long curved claws.

Eastern water dragons have a tail that is much longer than their body and spines down their back and tail.

Where do eastern water dragons live?

Found along the east coast of Australia, eastern water dragons are also found in southern New Guinea.

Eastern water dragons live in areas of native vegetation around fresh water and estuarine creeks, lakes and rivers. They prefer areas with plenty of trees and large rocks close to the water’s edge.

As with all reptiles, eastern water dragons are ectothermic and are often seen sunning themselves on rocks and branches along the banks of creeks and rivers. Ectothermic means they do not produce their own body heat and must rely on the warmth of the external environment to heat their body.

Eastern water dragons live alongside fresh water bodies along the east coast of Australia

What do eastern water dragons eat?

Adult eastern water dragons are omnivorous. They eat a mixed diet of insects, frogs, fruit, flowers and berries. They may also eat yabbies and molluscs.

Adult eastern water dragons forage for fallen fruits and berries such as lily pillies and insects such as ants. Whilst on tree branches they have been known to prey on cicadas. In areas with European bee hive boxes, water dragons have been observed snapping up bees leaving the hive. In these situations bee keepers install water dragon protectors on their hives.

Eastern water dragons can use their thick tongue as well as their jaws when grabbing invertebrates. This has been observed in water dragons in captivity.

Juvenile eastern water dragons are completely insectivorous. Juvenile dragons have even been observed feeding on mosquitoes which they catch by jumping up into the air.

Eastern water dragons can use their tongues to assist in snapping up wriggling prey.

How are eastern water dragons adapted to their environment?

Eastern water dragons have a variety of features and behaviours that help them meet the challenge of survival in their complex environment.

To stay safe from predators eastern water dragons are masters of camouflage. They will often remain completely still and rely on their mottled, striped colouring to blend in with the rocks, leaves, bark and shadows. If a predator comes close it is only at the very last moment that the dragon will break cover and drop into the water or run away.

Eastern water dragons are masters of camouflage.

On land, eastern water dragons can run quickly to cover using only their back legs. Their five strong toes with claws enable them to quickly climb steep rocks. They can also use their toes and claws to dig and can flatten their bodies to squeeze into tight rocky spaces.

Eastern water dragons have strong legs and toes for running.

During the colder months eastern water dragons lie still in burrows scraped out in riverbanks or between boulders and logs. They pack dirt into the opening of the burrow to seal themselves off. Inside the burrow, the dragon slows its metabolism. This period of being still and inactive is called brumation.

Eastern water dragons build burrows to wait out the colder months.

In the water the long muscular tail of eastern water dragons, which is shaped vertically like an oar, propels them enabling fast and powerful swimming.

Eastern water dragons can slow their heart rate down and stay underwater for 60 to 90 minutes. They can also sleep whilst floating in the water, with just their nostrils showing above the surface.

Eastern water dragons are strong swimmers.

How do eastern water dragons reproduce and what is their life cycle?

Eastern water dragons often live together in large groups made up of several females, youngsters and a dominant male who will defend as much of the territory as possible from other males. Water dragons are usually about 5 years old when they reach sexual maturity.

Territorial communication behaviours of male water dragons include bobbing their heads, licking their lips, inflating their throat pouches, doing push-ups and waving their front legs. Two males of a similar size will firstly use intimidation tactics such as making themselves look larger. If necessary, two males will go into combat biting each other’s hips and necks, to win the right to mate with a female.

Breeding occurs in the warmer weather of spring. Females lay 6 to 18 small rubbery eggs in nests dug into the soil away from the water body during November and December.

The temperature of the nest determines the gender of the developing water dragons with mainly high and low temperatures producing females. The young eastern water dragons usually hatch in January and February and are miniature versions of adults. The hatchlings are fully independent.

Eastern water dragons can live for up to 20 years.

Juvenile eastern water dragons look like small adults

What threats do eastern water dragons face and how can we care for them?

Domestic dogs and cats will hunt and catch eastern water dragons. The small hatchlings will often fall prey to birds such as kookaburras and butcherbirds.

In school grounds, parks and gardens, water dragons will use artificial water sources such as bird baths and ponds. They enjoy a soak in the water and will bask on surrounding rocks.

This eastern water dragon is having a soak in a backyard pond.

Related fact sheets

More reptile fact sheets

• Reptiles – overview
• Eastern blue-tongued lizard
• Eastern snake-necked turtle
• Red-bellied black snake

Habitats and environments used by water dragons

• Leaf litter habitats
• Ground cover habitats
• Rock and log habitats
• Eucalypt forest
• Field of Mars Reserve

Animals linked through food webs

• Striped marsh frog
• Common eastern froglet
• Earwig (prey / shared habitat)
• Kookaburra (predator)

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