Notes on natural history and conservation of the Indian Spiny-tailed Lizard (<i>Saara hardwickii</i>)

is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Vyas et al. 2022).This ground-dwelling herbivorous, diurnally active lizard is associated with dry landscapes in hotter parts of its range (Wagner et al. 2016;Tatu et al. 2024).The Indian Spinytailed Lizard inhabits sandy and gravel plains, dry, arid, and semi-arid grasslands, scrub forests, and the periphery of dry deciduous forests.This species faces various threats, including poaching, national and international trade, and collection for medicines and food.Many populations are depleted due to these threats, from minor to major; the most significant is loss of habitat and habitat alteration (Vyas et al.