Speedy lizards face higher risk of death, study finds

Australian central bearded dragons that run the fastest are more likely to die in the wild than their slower peers, a study using wearable devices has revealed.

Researchers tracked these lizards in their natural habitats for a year using miniature fitness trackers equipped with accelerometers and temperature sensors, according to a statement on Thursday from the University of Melbourne, which led the study.

These results highlighted that understanding real-world behaviors and environments is crucial for predicting how cold-blooded animals like reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates will cope with climate change.

Bearded dragons adjust their behavior with the seasons, moving between sun and shade to keep their body temperature optimal for key functions, said the study published in the Journal of Animal Ecology under the British Ecological Society.

The study unexpectedly found that dragons with higher running speeds faced greater mortality, likely from increased predation and mating activity, while males had higher survival rates than females.

The study challenges the idea that speed always confers a survival advantage, revealing that real-world survival relies on complex interactions between an animal's physiology, behavior, predation risk and environment, factors often missed in laboratory studies.

(Cover: A central bearded dragon. /VCG)