History is replete with incidents of human sacrifice, all of which stemmed from an irrational fear of the unknown.

Though society is said to have advanced, in remote villages of the state superstition has found the most unlikeliest of victims ? the Garden Lizard (calotes versicolor), which is also called tetanga by the local people. There is misconception that these reptiles are blood-suckers. As a result, they fall prey to the villagers? catapults.

According to forest officials, of the 21 recognized species of Calotes, C. versicolor is the most widespread ranging from Southeast Iran and Afganistan east to Indo-China and as far south as Sri Lanka, Sumatra and northern Peninsular Malasia.

Calotes versicolor is distinguished from its congeners by its lateral body scales pointing backwards and upwards. It has 35-52 scales around the body and no oblique fold anterior to the shoulder.

The garden lizards, unlike other reptiles, are moody and change their colour whenever necessary but not as rapidly as chameleons, which are now rare in Jharkhand. Perhaps this is the reason why they are referred to as ?changeable lizards?. There usual colour is dull brown, grey, olive or green.

But when the male lizard fights with another its throat changes to a red color. Again during breeding season, the head and shoulder of the male lizard turn to a bright orange or crimson and the throat appears black. The lizard tries to ward off intruders in their territory by brightening their red heads and push ups'.

This activity also serves the purpose of attracting females. But villagers think that the reptile is about to attack them.

According to wildlife experts, garden lizards are not blood suckers. They feed on insects and rodents, which they swallow as a whole. Unlike other lizards, they do not shed their tails, which are long, stiff and tapering. But they do shed their skin.

They are also called crested tree lizard as they have a crest from their head to tail. Like chameleons they too can move their eyes in all directions.

The female lizard lays about 10 eggs in moist soil. The spindle-shaped eggs hatch in about six to seven weeks.

According to Awdhesh Oraon, a resident of Pandaria village in Sisai block, the lizards are used to prepare a medicine which cure ear infections. The reptiles are boiled in mahua seed oil (madhuca indica) to prepare the medicne,? said Oraon.

Although garden lizards are not placed in the endangered category, but with the rapid growth of urban settlements and subsequent disappearance of forests, the lizards have lost their natural habitats. As a result, they are forced to live close to human settlements.

A senior forest official said they are launching an awareness drive among local villagers to impress upon them that the garden lizard is not their enemy, but a harmless creature.

Bandana / Sudhanshu