It Turns Out, Dragons Are Real And They Live In South Africa

It’s not every day you find out a mythical creature is real and living on the same planet as you. Fans of shows like Game of Thrones, or movies like The Hobbit may have wanted to see a dragon at one point, or wished they were real. Well, I hope you’re sitting down because we’re about to blow your mind with these miniature dragons.

The armour-plated reptile is the largest of a group called the girdled lizards, and like any good dragon, the species goes by many titles: the giant dragon lizard, giant zonure and sungazer, to name a few. Scientifically, it was originally grouped under the name Cordylus with other girdled lizards, but a reassessment in 2011 produced its current name, Smaug giganteus – after J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional fire-breathing villain. The architect of Middle-earth was born in the same area of South Africa where this lizard is found.