Little time with a Little friend..

They are, like us, inheritors of the earth..
The Rightful Inheritors of the Earth, Vaikom Muhammed Basheer

It was last day I happened to meet this little friend.

I was ready to go to my Grandma's home. It was near to lunch time but my little sister hadn't got ready till then. I took a walk in the house yard. It's long time since I retired from gardening and despite my father's effort on watering plants, the soil is hard and there are weeds everywhere.

All of a sudden I noticed this little buddy, staying away from all these, in a quite space near to my home. I first thought it was the little offspring of a house lizard. I hate those reptiles. Actually the house lizard is the only kind of animal I don't like to touch (And those plumpy snails on the walls on my bathroom too). I always go "Yuck!" on them. Probably most of you people too :D ! Anyways, it was then I noticed it's tail - somewhat thin for a house lizard and the way it curls. Then it was clear. The only kind of lizard possibly found in this place other than the one I hate, is surely an Arana(the 'n' pronounced as in 'money'). I am not sure of it's English name. I did Google for it, but not to much avail. May be we can call it the Garden lizard or may be a Skink or something like that. Now I assumed that it is the one I am assuming and approached it.

I felt this curiosity to take it in hand. In our childhood we were all told many interesting myths about Arana. Some proverb says that this is a very poisonous creature and one will die in just one bite of these deadly creature! I see that this concept is still printed in some books. Another thing, rather some relief is that it has a very poor memory. Like it forgets whatever it was thinking by the time it's tail reaches the position where it's head initially was.


Well, the actual grown up Arana has an appearance paying truth to the belief that it is poisonous and nobody feels like taking it in hand. But this little kid of it, was okay! The Arana is a close call to a snake but with a much lesser length and with limbs. I was getting confused and decided to take a closer look at it.
I made it climb into my hand in a minute. Though it showed some panic at first, it got familiar with my hand soon and stayed in my palm quiet and calm. Now the picture was more clear. The way it stood reminded me of another lizard of the garden - the Chameleon! Well, it didn't have the many projections and all on it's head. But chameleons around here don't have much of those decorations actually, and most of them are plain brown in colour. But there was no other possibility left. So I finalized that it is a baby chameleon on it's way to developing into the big boy!
Can you find out accurately which kind of lizard is this? But I repeat.. it's not a house lizard!

See how cute!



Do you notice something else?



Yeah! It's my ring with a lizard carved on it. H's selection!
Also notice it's pose. Chameleon?


More Thoughts on the 'deadly' Garden Lizard:
(not about chameleon!)

* I searched for more details on this, but found nothing much. Is it an endangered species? Does it have many varieties all over India or world?

* A dictionary in my mother tongue says it's scientific name is Lacerta Interpunchula. (blah blah blah!)

* Watch this video on a grown up Arana. Dangerous ha?!

17 comments:

  1. Euch... Strange that I write about insects today and I notice that you did too!!!! Telepathy or Netpathy of some kind!

    Btw I just spotted a jurassic park sized lizzi in my balcony. It was almost black in colour. I had freaked out too much and didn't think of clicking a snap. And nah,I'll pass. Don't like em critters anyways:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I bet you don't.., together with that encounter with a little roach! Then the pics above may be haunting you as well!
    Should I include "Parental Guidance Advised!" ? :D

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Et,
    nice post mate. hope your little friend adapts well to the new environment ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am not a supporter of intervening into the lives of small creatures. BTW I loved the design of you blog...

    ReplyDelete
  5. wow eternal thinker. i totally love your blog. the design and the writing. all rambling but fun. totally enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Let me just say to tht
    :P

    Ps: Would've said much more had I been able to log on to my laptop, no thanks due to an error 815.

    ReplyDelete
  7. hope you had a great time wid those reptiles et!!!...no more 'YUK' kind of feeling for them....at the end you got something so creative to scrible here...so,credit goes to them :)!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Nice post. Though initially it was a liitle difficult to comprehend a lizard so lovingly placed on the hands and then photographed, I told myself'so what?'
    Once I said this, then it was very normal to appreciate what you have done. Keep going!

    ReplyDelete
  9. @ Hashir
    Let us hope so! I'll check in the next time I go there! :D

    @ Rohit
    It's not intervening.I never took it out of an entire eco system.The place it's shifted to is very near and of course a more suitable place!
    And we just can't Ignore these little lives.We should be in touch with them to protect them!

    @ agent green glass
    Thanks about the design! I love appreciation on the hard work I did! Anytime mate!
    Yeah! The Eternal Thinker's thoughts are quite random!

    ReplyDelete
  10. @ choco
    I agree with you! You do have a tendency to be unclear!!
    And the netpathy thing is interesting!
    @ zen
    Somewhere true.But I can't stand to see a house lizard dead on the floor!It's so "Yukky!"
    @ nsiyer
    It just takes a little concern about the little friends around us! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I don't really like lizards - but do like your blog :) - you've got a new follower!

    Corinne

    ReplyDelete
  12. errrr...my body is going Jhum Jhum ..
    ooovyaaaak :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. don't care.practice makes it perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  14. oh..et u r rockin...hats off,thou i dint lik d lizi much,i love d ring!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. u loved the ring!no wonder,datz y u selected it na, H!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi...God i hate lizards, chameleons...whatever..and it creeps me out to see it nestled so cozily in your hand...Its about the only reptile that freaks me out. Love your ID though...and the creativity is admirable...Have a good one

    ReplyDelete