Endangered dragon breeding facility opened in Australian capital

Photo provided by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government on May 27, 2021 shows the endangered Grassland Earless Dragon. A breeding facility for an endangered dragon species has opened in Australia's capital. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government on Thursday opened the facility for the Grassland Earless Dragon at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Canberra. (ACT Government/Handout via Xinhua)

CANBERRA, May 28 (Xinhua) -- A breeding facility for an endangered dragon species has opened in Australia's capital.

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government on Thursday opened the facility for the Grassland Earless Dragon at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Canberra.

Populations of the Grassland Earless Dragon, which measures 15 centimeters from head to tail, in the ACT, New South Wales and Victoria have dwindled as a result of habitat loss to urban, industrial and agricultural developments.

According to the government's recovery plan for the species it is believed to have gone extinct in Victoria and NSW.

Rebecca Vassarotti, the ACT's Environment Minister, said the 60,000 Australian dollar (46,444 U.S. dollar) facility would be crucial in supporting the conservation of the species.

According to her, this colony will be an insurance population to guard against extinction and provide a source of animals for reintroduction to the wild. And they will also provide opportunities for research aimed at conserving and managing this species in the face of threats such as predators, habitat destruction and climate change.

"Australia is facing an extinction crisis. If we are to halt and reverse the damage we're doing to our natural environment, we must challenge ourselves, and test and trial approaches to tackle extinction rates and re-introduce native fauna back into the wild," she said in a media release.

"We need action at every level - from strong national environmental laws and clear national plans for threatened species to concerted local action.

"This facility and breeding colony will be critical to the long-term survival of the grassland earless dragon, which is found only in the ACT region."

Melbourne Zoo donated six dragons to the nature reserve to start the breeding program.

The government has partnered with experts from the University of Canberra on the initiative.

Minister for Land Management Mick Gentleman said the facility could house up to 80 dragons.

"This controlled, biosecure facility will keep diseases out and provide optimal conditions for the dragons' wellbeing," he said.

"Each dragon will have its own space with everything it needs, such as a burrow, grasses to climb on and a basking platform. Larger outdoor predator-proof ring tanks will allow ecologists to observe the Grassland Earless Dragons in a more natural environment."