Hello. I see you’ve noticed me. Or have you? Perhaps it’s just a trick of the light, or maybe I’ve blended so seamlessly into my surroundings that you only imagine me. I am the female Oriental Garden Lizard, mistress of subtlety, queen of camouflage, and professional bug exterminator. While my male counterparts are busy flashing their reds and oranges like tiny dragon show-offs, I prefer a more refined look—earthy tones of brown, olive, or grey, perfectly curated to match tree trunks and dried leaves. Why be the centre of attention when you can be invisible instead? It’s a far better survival strategy. Speaking of survival, we Oriental Garden Lizards are true proponents of the “survival of the fittest” philosophy. When it comes to offspring, I quietly handle my business– find a cosy patch of soft soil, and lay about 10–20 eggs and leave them be. I trust my little ones to hatch and figure things out on their own. No helicopter parenting here! Tough love, nature style.

I see you’re admiring my sleek physique. I measure a neat 25–35 cm from snout to tail tip, which makes me just the right size to zip up trees, rocks, and bushes with ease. My long, slender tail is my balancing tool, and my spiny crest—though not as dramatic as the males’—adds just a touch of flair. A girl needs some edge, after all. What’s on the menu, you ask? Insects, mostly. Spiders, beetles, and the occasional small invertebrate. My long, sticky tongue ensures that nothing escapes me. Every now and then, I’ll even sample a bit of plant matter, just to keep things interesting. You could say I’m an opportunist—if it moves and looks tasty, I’m probably going to eat it. You may not always see me, but I’m out here doing important work—keeping insect populations in check, making sure plants aren’t overrun by pesky bugs, and playing my part in the food chain. Without me, things could get out of hand pretty quickly. So the next time you spot a flash of movement in your garden or a perfectly camouflaged figure perched on a branch, take a moment to appreciate my skills. The world might celebrate the flashy, but sometimes, the real power lies in quiet resilience. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some blending in to do.

Situated on the borders of major National Parks, the Mahoora Tented Safari Camps always have plenty of small wildlife wandering through them. Lorenzo, our in-house photographer, captured this photo of an Oriental Garden Lizard catching some rays at the Mahoora Tented Safari Camp in Yala.