Dragons are one of the most exciting parts of many fantasy stories, but sadly they aren’t real.

Or are they?

While it is not likely that you are going to see a giant dragon flying around anytime soon, there is one animal that, while fairly small, does resemble a dragon in many ways.

The armadillo lizard, or Ouroborus Cataphractus, looks a lot like a baby dragon might, and they are very interesting looking creatures.

The animal’s genus is Ouroborus, which comes from an ancient symbol of a serpent or dragon, so that is one thing it has going for it.

It’s species name is cataphractus, which comes from a Greek word meaning armored or covered, so again, even the scientists think this guy is at least somewhat dragon-like.

The lizards typically hide in rocks though, so that isn’t exactly going to inspire fear in those who find them.

They do, however, live in groups of 30-60 lizards, so if you stumble across them they can be somewhat overwhelming.

If you are an insect in the area, the lizards will undoubtedly seem terrifying since that is what they typically eat.

In addition to having a unique look to them, these lizards also behave differently than many other reptiles.

For example, the female will sometimes feed her young after it is born, which is not something that happens very often in the reptile world.

If you’re interested in learning more about this unique little dragon, check out this video:

It is illegal to export these ‘baby dragons’ from South Africa, so you can’t have one as a pet.

So like I tell my toddler, “we just look with our eyes!”

Thought that was fascinating? Here’s another story you might like: Why You’ll Never See A Great White Shark In An Aquarium