Dhaka, May 15 -- The Sanda Lizard has been trending recently with a slew of memes on social media talking about eating sanda. But what's the story behind the lizard?

Also known as Hardwicke's spiny-tailed lizard (Saara hardwickii), it is a master of survival in one of Earth's harshest landscapes. Known for its herbivorous diet and burrowing habits, this reptile is not just a desert dweller but a cultural and ecological cornerstone.

A Desert Survivor: Habitat and Distribution

The Sanda Lizard thrives in the arid regions of South Asia, specifically the Thar Desert and Kutch in India, and parts of Pakistan, including Sindh's Kohistan region near Karachi. Unlike its cousin, the Arabian spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx aegyptia), common in Sa...