Flying Dragons are Real-- And in Need of Protection

We live in an amazing and beautiful world-- one that we share with millions upon millions of distinct species of plants and animals. Our world is so full of miraculous, enchanting beings that it's strange that we ever felt a need to invent mythical creatures like dragons and unicorns. The creatures that inhabit our very own world, as it is today, are still far more wonderful to me than any mythological beast mankind might have invented. What's even more wonderful is when these wires of existence cross, and we see "mythical" creatures alive and well on modern-day planet Earth. Such is the case with the flying dragons-- reptiles of the genus Draco-- which are scattered throughout Southeast Asia. These tiny little lizards resemble their mythical counterparts in every way except size-- and some of them need our help.

Most species of flying dragon (and there are many, numbering in the dozens!) are actually doing quite well, all things considered. These highly adaptable insectivores live high in the tree tops of tropical and semitropical forests, where they hunt tiny bugs day and night, like little forest spirits. They can fly from tree to tree using their amazing little wings, which are actually supported by their ribs. While they can't entirely on their own in the manner of a bird or bat, they do manage to actually achieve some lift when they swoop from tree-to-tree, making their aerial acrobatics a bit more complex than just gliding!

The IUCN red list, which tracks the status of plants, animals, and fungi throughout the world, considers one member of the genus Draco to be in need of conservation. This species, known as the Mindanao flying lizard or Draco mindanensis, is currently considered vulnerable, meaning it's not quite endangered but could become endangered if patterns continue the way they're going now. This flying dragon has experienced an estimated 30% drop in its population, according to IUCN, because of habitat loss.

The Mindanao flying lizard lives only in one tiny, limited part of the world: Malindang Mountain in the Philippines, on the island known as Mindanao. Significant portions of its habitat have been lost and, while it doesn't face imminent extinction by any means, things could progress to that point if development and deforestation continue in the Philippines at their current rate.

Many other types of flying dragon might also be in jeopardy right now. The IUCN has "deficient" data for many species of flying dragon, and the vast majority of discovered species of flying dragon simply aren't documented by the organization at all. Some inhabit only tiny regions of a few square miles, where their populations can't be tracked. It's possible that some of the more naturally scarce species of the Draco genus could be critically endangered (or even extinct!) without science's awareness.

We need to do more to protect some of nature's masterpieces, however little-known they may be. Not only do conservationists need to take more steps to identify and track some of the dozens of almost-unknown species of flying dragon, but we collectively need to take steps to ensure that threatened dragons are protected from further harm. Increased awareness and concern for these fascinating creatures can help to conserve them for centuries and millennia to come.