Wild kids

Common name: Western Scaly Foot (a legless lizard)
Scientific name: Pygopus nigriceps
Photo: W. R. G. Jenkins/Nature Focus, Australian Museum

Reptiles

Western Scaly Foot

Western Scaly Foots are legless lizards found throughout Australia except on the southern coast and mountain areas. They live in wet forests and heath as well as sand dunes and dry areas. Western Scaly Foots eat scorpions, spiders and insects.

This is a scaly flap that the Western Scaly Foot has instead of back legs.

Western Scaly Foots use their sight to find food. They bite their prey. They chew and then swallow it.

Snakes and other lizards, birds of prey like falcons, feral cats and foxes all eat Western Scaly Foots.

Western Scaly Foots move in a side-to-side swimming motion.

They lay two eggs in summer. Young Western Scaly Foots look after themselves.