London Zoo celebrates birth of first ever spiny-headed tree lizards

The lizards are the first of its kind in an UK zoo. Credit: Zoological Society of London

London Zoo is celebrating the arrival of a trio of tiny lizards - the first of their kind to ever be born in a UK zoo.

The striking-looking spiny-headed tree lizards (Plica plica) measured a tiny two inches long and weighed just 2.5g when they first emerged from their eggs three weeks ago.

Keepers had been hoping that the adult pair of South-American lizards would breed, and were delighted when they found eggs in the adult enclosure on their morning rounds.

The eggs were quickly moved to the incubation room – referred to as the ‘maternity wing’ of the Reptile House - in the hope that they were fertile.

Named Uno, Dos and Tres, in recognition of their native South America, Team leader of ZSL London Zoo’s Reptile House, Ben Tapley said: