Treating patients @Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital

Woodie and Buzz were still in their mother’s womb when they were admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital. Unfortunately, their mum had been attacked by a dog, and she passed away on her way to the hospital.

Dr Jaimee and Nurse Teale discovered her pregnancy on arrival and quickly sprang into action, performing an emergency caesarean to deliver Woodie, Buzz and the rest of their siblings.

After a few days under close observation with the team, they were given the all clear and were released back into the wild.

Blue-tongued lizards are the largest members of the skink family. Skink lizards have overlapping scales that are usually smooth and contain small plates of bone.

When threatened, blue-tongues turn towards the threat, open their mouth wide and stick out their broad blue tongue that contrasts vividly with the pink mouth. This display, together with the large size of the head, may frighten off predators. If the threat does not go away, blue-tongues may hiss and flatten out the body, making themselves look bigger.