If I has to pick my favorite desert lizard, it would probably be the Collared Lizard. Today I went to the Cerbat Mountains in Arizona and found a species of Collared Lizard that I’ve never seen in the wild before, the Eastern Collared Lizard (previously I had found Great Basin Collared Lizards).

Why do I like these lizards so much? Well, with their oversized head, ability to run on their hind legs and their immense appetite for other lizards – they remind me of a miniature Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The two distinct black “collar” markings on its neck is what gives this lizard its common name. It does not hesitate to bite when captured and it can easily draw blood with its powerful jaws. Though it is wary, agile and quick to avoid being caught. This one that I caught today was mild mannered.

This reptile is primarily an inhabitant of rugged terrain with numerous large rocks or boulders that can be used for basking spots and lookouts. It is a decent-sized lizard, often more than a foot in total length.

Third Eye Herp
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