Gold dragons are the ones most often killed by humans, who consider their scales to be extremely valuable. These golden scales grant them a high level of protection, similar to armor, and they use this to their advantage in battle.

Dragons are highly-intelligent reptilian creatures that—from a human perspective, at least—appear to live forever. Many different varieties of dragon exist, each with their own unique qualities, habitats, and behavior. Adolescence in dragons is usually marked by the growth of a hatchling’s wings, although not all breeds of dragons grow wings and some breeds have other traits that indicate the beginning of maturation. In Galsreim, dragons and humans coexist peacefully.

The Duchess of Ankh is the pride of the Ankh Morpork Sunshine Sanctuary for Sick Dragons.  The Duchess' fine wings and pristine tail are carefully cleaned daily and a balanced diet of lamp oil, coal dust and saltpetre ensure her continued non-explosiveness.