Meeting a Baby Egyptian Uromastyx

Okay, you’re probably wondering, “What is an Egyptian Uromastyx?” Well, let’s see if you can guess which of these six major animal groups it belongs to:

• Mammal
• Bird
• Amphibian
• Reptile
• Fish
• Invertebrate

Here are the clues to help you guess:

1. Uromastyx comes from the Ancient Greek words for “tail” and “whip,” which is an accurate name since this creature friend has a short tail, with between ten and thirty rows of spiked scales. Males will use this tail to defend their territory, and both males and females use it to ward off a hungry predator in our fallen world.
2. This creature friend is a popular pet, but it’s a big commitment! This species can live to be 30 years old and can grow up to three feet long.
3. Uromastyx (or “uro” for short, and easier spelling!) are ectothermic (also called cold-blooded). This means they control their body temperature through their environment (e.g., sitting in the shade or hiding underground to cool off and sunning to warm up).
4. Uros are vegetarians.
5. Uros are diurnal. This means they’re active during the day—and they are active! That’s one reason they’re such a popular pet. At night, they rest in burrows they’ve dug themselves.

Can you guess which animal group this creature friend belongs to?

If you guessed reptile, you’re right!

The creature friend we met was Cairo, a baby Egyptian Uromastyx (or spiny-tailed lizard). As the name suggests, this species of uro is native to Africa, but Cairo lives in Ararat Ridge Zoo at the Ark Encounter. While we were filming a different creature friend for Season 2, we had the chance to meet him. I don’t often use the word cute for a reptile, but Cairo is really cute!

Like other uros, Cairo is a vegetarian. This reminds us of a time when all creatures were vegetarian—including people! Genesis 1:29–30 tells us:

And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

It’s hard to imagine a time when lions didn’t pounce on unsuspecting gazelle, sharks didn’t hunt down schools of fish, and snakes didn’t swallow mice for dinner. But the Bible tells us none of those scenarios took place in God’s original “very good” creation. All of the creatures ate the plants God had created to be food for them. Sadly, when the first two people (Adam and Eve) sinned, they brought death into creation and creatures began hunting and eating each other.

This world is broken, but it won’t stay that way. Jesus promises to restore creation and, someday, the lion and the lamb will lay down together and will be just like Eden again.

Well, we’re off on another adventure. Until next time, remember Isaiah 11:6, 9:

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat. . . . They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

P.S. Meet creature friends like Cairo with us at Ararat Ridge Zoo in Season 1 and 2 of Schus Off!, now streaming on Answers TV.