A very large handsome reptile.

They are insectivorous –  eating a variety of insects and termites, ants, beetles and grasshoppers including seeds and berries. They also scavenge eggs of other lizards and birds.

Now well adapted to suburban gardens especially where there are suitable, mature trees as these diurnal lizards sleep in trees. They are known to become quite tame and appear to be inquisitive around humans.

Their predators are snakes and monkeys but they are also vulnerable to human persecution and being run over by cars.

The bright and very vivid blue head especially of the male, is its spring breeding attire. He uses head bobbing displays to attract his females and to ward off rival males. They live in small colonies and the territorial male usually has several females and juveniles in his territory.  Females lay a clutch of about 10 soft shelled eggs a year in soft damp soil. They can live for as long as 25 to 28 years or more in the wild.

When they gape with their bright orange mouth linings visible – beware as a painful bite can occur but they are not venomous.

Agamas are considered to be economically important because they can be sold to other countries for medicine and even eaten as food.

They are very effective pest controllers – “The Rentokil of the bush”.