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Pet lizard waves at owner, startling moment caught on camera

A pet lizard, similar to the one pictured above, was captured on camera waving back at its owner in a surprisingly human-like gesture.

Credit: Carl Court/Getty Images

Credit: Carl Court/Getty Images

A pet lizard, similar to the one pictured above, was captured on camera waving back at its owner in a surprisingly human-like gesture.
By Shelby Lin Erdman
Feb 20, 2017

A bearded dragon in a terrarium performs an unusual stunt: When its owner waves, the lizard waves back.

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The unusual waving was caught on video and has now gone viral.

But the pet lizard isn’t really waving at its owner, or maybe it is.

The reptiles, native to Australia, tend to wave their arms more when they’re young, but the gesture could have several meanings. It might be a sign of “recognition” between the animals in the wild, according to the website Thebeardeddragon.org and a form of communication.

The waving motion could also be a sign of submission. The lizard might wave its arm when approached by a larger dragon or larger animal.

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Shelby Lin Erdman
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