Thorny devil, Australia Aug 14, 2024

From mythology to modern media, lizards have often been portrayed as scary reptiles. As it turns out, they"re not as dangerous as stories might lead you to believe. With more than 7,000 species, these animals have adapted to a wide range of environments—from deserts to rainforests. Now let"s focus on the peculiar creature in today"s image that"s trekking across the arid landscape in Australia"s Watarrka National Park. Its pace is deliberate, its skin a maze of spiky armour. Meet the thorny devil, also known as the thorny dragon or Moloch. With clever hydrophilic skin that channels moisture to its mouth, this reptile can hydrate just from the dew on its body. It can thrive in extreme desert conditions that would be inhospitable to many. So, the next time you spot a lizard, take a moment to appreciate these cool, scaly wonders of the animal kingdom.

© Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott/Minden Pictures

palette

Today in History

Aug 14, 2025Piz Nair mountain, Switzerland

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 19, 2023Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Estonia
Apr 24, 2024White trilliums in Ontario, Canada
Jun 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Dec 28, 2024Green sea turtle, New Caledonia
Mar 21, 2026Letea Forest, Danube Delta, Romania
May 25, 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
Mar 13, 2025Gran Paradiso National Park, Piedmont, Italy
Jan 1, 2024Red fox
Oct 8, 2024Mototi octopus
Dec 18, 2025Temple of the Sun, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, United States
Sep 30, 2025Koala, Australia
May 21, 2025Tea garden at Yangjiatang Village, Songyang County, China
Jul 27, 2025Barracudas at Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Oct 6, 2023Taughannock Falls State Park, New York, USA
Feb 13, 2024Saint-Pierre-Quiberon, France
Nov 28, 2025Val Brandet, Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
Nov 12, 2024Arches National Park, Utah, United States
May 29, 2024Eurasian otters
Feb 23, 2024Haghartsin Monastery, Armenia
Aug 25, 2023Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
May 21, 2024Poço Encantado cave, Brazil
Feb 10, 2024Giant anteater
Oct 4, 2025ISS main solar arrays seen from SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour
Jun 19, 2025Beach in Santa Catarina, Brazil
Feb 2, 2024Alpine marmot
Feb 18, 2026Przewalskis horses
Jun 16, 2024Red fox father and kit, Washington, USA
Sep 17, 2025A young bull moose
Oct 23, 2023Corn maze in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, USA
Jul 11, 2025Tokyo at sunrise, Japan