The Lost Dragon – Searching for the World’s Rarest Lizard

There is so little known about the silver monitor lizard that it is not even possible to say whether these lizards may already be extinct.

The species, which is endemic to only one small Indonesian island, is so rare that it hasn't been seen for over 25 years. This is precisely why reptile collectors all over the world are willing to put a lot of money on the table for a live specimen - while researchers are trying by all means to learn more about this rare animal. Species conservationists are calling on the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to provide greater protection for the monitor lizard and similar species before they are traded into extinction. But the treaty is not living up to its name.