BBC Wildlife_Dragons
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00:00Dragons. Part of the imaginary world of Harry Potter. Breathing fire and turning enemies
00:14to stone. With spiky armor, razor sharp claws and wings. But do dragons really exist? Stand
00:32by to enter the real Dragon's Lair.
01:02There's a family of lizards called the Agamids. They live in some of the most hostile places
01:25on earth and look like the magical creatures of myth and folklore. So much so that they're
01:35better known as the Dragon Lizards. But do these dragons live up to the legend? The dragon's
02:02mythical domain is fire. This is a bushfire in Australia's Northern Territory. A terrifying
02:10force that engulfs everything in its path. Animals flee before it and birds of prey patrol
02:22the fire's edge looking for victims to pluck from the burning embers. But amazingly there is one
02:32animal that thrives alongside this inferno. The Frilled Dragon Lizard. As the flames recede,
02:42frilled dragons appear, apparently preferring the quickly cooling ground to the untouched
02:47forest just meters away. Although they don't breathe fire, they're attracted to it. New
02:59research has shown that fire provides an extra fertile hunting ground. Surprising numbers of
03:08insects can survive a forest fire, but with the vegetation burnt away, they've nowhere to hide
03:14and are easily caught on the hop. Frilled dragons normally live in the trees. On the ground and in
03:33the open they're dangerously exposed and need to watch the sky. But it's a risk worth taking. Here
03:42amid the ashes with death all around, the dragons find a whole new lease of life. But now this one
03:51has caught a killer's eye. A kite, an expert scavenger searching for the tiniest movement
03:59below that might indicate food. The dragon instantly responds with a dramatic show of
04:08strength. It uses a complex network of bones and muscles to erect flaps of skin around its
04:15neck that open like an umbrella and make it look very ferocious. Relative to body size,
04:25this is the largest display in the reptile world. But will it be enough to frighten off the kite?
04:38The giant ruff unnerves the kite and buys valuable time for the dragon. Before its
04:58enemy can circle for another pass, the dragon sprints for safety and disappears into puffs
05:03of smoke.
05:33My
06:03cold-blooded reptiles, dragon lizards need the sun's heat to warm up each morning. Bearded
06:12dragons have a special trick. They flush dark to absorb as much energy as possible. This male
06:21will bask until his body temperature is high enough for him to become active.
06:26Now paler and fully alert, he can set about finding a mate. And when he does
06:40track down a likely female, he'll try a unique approach to win her heart.
06:45The male takes a center stage to show her his spectacular dragon dance.
07:00She seems to like it and joins in.
07:09Exactly what these arm waves and head bobs mean is still a mystery.
07:28Some believe the arm waving signals submission and the bobbing head means dominance. Whatever
07:44they're saying, it seems the dragon dance has worked its magic. But the mood soon changes once
07:51mating begins. The male mounts the female and bites down hard on the skin around her neck. She
08:01may even run around in this position with the male still on her back. It's a brief one-off
08:12encounter and afterwards the male skedaddles. The pair probably won't meet ever again.
08:20To find the ultimate flesh and blood dragon, we must leave the Australian deserts and visit a
08:33very different world. The lush rainforests of the Far East. Here there is a dragon lizard that
08:49is perhaps closer to the mythical winged beast than any other. This is the Draco. The Draco has
09:07given up life on the ground to become truly at home in the trees. But the treetops have their
09:14own dangers. In the canopy there are eyes everywhere. The Dracos need to be well camouflaged.
09:23Both male and female Dracos are extremely territorial. But how do they communicate
09:43with one another without attracting unwanted attention from their enemies?
09:47Semaphore by flashing tiny flags of color at each other. Dracos do this by erecting patches of loose
10:03skin around their throat. And for additional effect, they fan out extra folds along their
10:15sides. These split-second throat flashes are intended only for the eyes of other dragons.
10:29But the butterfly effect is not so short and sharp. So what do they use these flaps for and why?
10:51One answer comes from where they live. The jungle canopy may look close-packed,
11:04but actually the trees don't always touch. Huge spaces in between can leave tree dwellers isolated.
11:12For the Dracos, trees are islands in the sky. And this can be a problem if they need to leave
11:18their particular island in a hurry. Forest fires are surprisingly common in the rainforest.
11:35Dracos trapped in a burning tree could be doomed.
11:49The smoke and flames gradually drive the Dracos higher and higher.
11:56These dragons aren't drawn to fire. On the contrary, they've found a way to leave it behind.
12:04They can fly.
12:25The flaps of skin the Draco used for signaling are also real dragons' wings.
12:30Technically speaking, they don't actually fly, but they can glide 40 or 50 meters from
12:38one treetop to another through the smoke to safety. The Draco is a real flesh-and-blood
12:47flying dragon. It has abilities as marvelous as any from the pages of a book. If dragons
12:55had ever existed, they too would have had to use their magical powers to solve the same
13:00problems of finding food and water, mating, and escaping danger.
13:16So next time you're reading stories of magical creatures soaring through the air in far-off
13:22lands, remember, somewhere on this Earth, there is a place where living dragons really do exist.
13:52And comedians Cannon and Ball bring their panto humor to Ready, Steady, Coco. Yes, they do. At 4.30.