What is a Thorny devil?
The Thorny Devil (Moloch horridus) is a small but tough lizard from the hot, dry deserts of Australia. It has a body covered in spikes, which helps protect it from predators.
Thorny Devils are famous for their amazing ability to drink water in a very special way—through their skin.
Listen to a Thorny devil
Watch a Thorny devil
They Have a Fake Head – On the back of their neck, they have a large, bumpy “false head” made of soft tissue. If a predator attacks, the Thorny Devil tucks its real head down, making the fake head look like the target instead.
They Drink Water Through Their Skin – Thorny Devils have tiny grooves between their scales that suck up water like a sponge. They can collect moisture from rain, dew, or even wet sand and send it straight to their mouth.
They Walk Funny – They move in a slow, jerky way, rocking back and forth. This helps them blend in with the desert and confuse predators.
They Change Colour – In the morning and evening, they are a light brown or yellow colour. But during the heat of the day, they turn darker to absorb less sunlight.
How Many Ants Do They Eat?
- They can eat up to 3,000 ants a day.
How Do They Hunt?
- They wait near an ant trail and use their sticky tongue to scoop up ants quickly.
- Since they have no teeth, they swallow the ants whole.
How They Move
Thorny Devils have a very unique way of walking! Instead of moving smoothly, they use a slow, jerky motion, rocking back and forth as they step.
Why do they move like this?
- It helps them blend in with the desert environment.
- The stop-and-start motion confuses predators, making them harder to spot.
- It mimics the movement of plants in the wind, making them look less like food.
How They Keep Safe
Thorny Devils may be small, but they have amazing defences to keep them from becoming a snack.
- Spiky Armor – Their body is covered in sharp, bony spikes, making it difficult for predators to swallow them.
- Fake Head Trick – They have a bump on the back of their neck that looks like a second head. When a predator approaches, they tuck their real head down, making the fake head look like the target.
- Camouflage – Their skin changes colour to blend in with the sand and rocks, making them nearly invisible in the desert.
- Weird Walking – Their slow, jerky movement makes it hard for predators to focus on them.
- Freezing in Place – If they sense danger, they stay completely still, relying on their camouflage to avoid being seen.
- Being Hard to Find – They are most active in the morning and late afternoon, avoiding the hottest parts of the day when predators might be hunting.
These defences help the Thorny Devil survive in the tough Australian Outback, where predators like birds of prey, snakes, and larger lizards are always looking for food.
- Colour Changes – They can shift from light yellow-brown to dark brown depending on temperature and mood. A darker colour may signal stress or an attempt to warm up in the morning.
- Body Posture – When feeling threatened, they may puff up their body, making their spikes look even bigger to scare away predators.
- Slow, Jerky Movements – Their unique rocking walk may help them avoid attracting attention from predators and might also signal other Thorny Devils nearby.
- Hiding and Freezing – If a predator is near, a Thorny Devil might stay completely still, relying on its camouflage to avoid being seen.
- Mating Behaviour – Males may follow females and nod their heads to show interest during the breeding season. If the female is not interested, she may simply walk away or even flick the male off her back.
Since Thorny Devils are solitary animals, they don’t need to communicate much with others. Instead, they rely on their amazing defences and ability to blend into the desert to survive.
- They help keep the ant population under control.
- They are a special part of Australia’s desert ecosystem.
- They have one of the coolest ways of drinking water in the animal kingdom.
They live in the dry, sandy deserts and scrublands of Central and Western Australia. You can find them in places like:
- The Great Victoria Desert
- The Gibson Desert
- The Simpson Desert
Thorny Devils love warm temperatures and sandy areas where they can hide from predators.
Would you like to see a Thorny Devil in the wild? If you’re in the Australian Outback, keep an eye on the sandy ground—but remember, they are masters of disguise.
