A Japanese man has been nabbed at Perth Airport allegedly trying to smuggle six native bobtail lizards out of Australia.

A Japanese national was taken into custody and charged with wildlife smuggling and animal cruelty after he was intercepted at Perth International Airport. Credit:Australian Border Force

He was planning to catch a flight to Hong Kong on Thursday when an x-ray of his check-in suitcase allegedly spotted the reptiles wrapped in a paper towel and tightly packed inside a cloth bag.

Three lizards were allegedly taken from Rottnest Island, one from the Mid West region and two from Perth.

Some were kept in hessian bags for up to eight days with no food and little water, Australian Border Force said. The 45-year-old man was charged with attempting to export a regulated native specimen while subjecting the lizards to cruel treatment.