Chuckwalla

Sauromalus ater (Sauromalus obesus)

The Chuckwalla is mainly a plant eater, and is seldom seen far from a crevice into which it will hide when you approach. If you try to reach in for it, it will inflate its lungs and puff up its body, which wedges it tightly into place. These big, dark-bodied lizards sometime bask during the hottest part of the day. This behavior helps them digest the flowers, fruits, and leaves in their stomachs by literally cooking them.

Look For : A large, big-bellied lizard with a thick, tapering tail. Skin appears loose around neck and sides. Male has black head, shoulders, and legs. Female and young have dark and light bands across body. Harmless.

Length : 11-16".

Habitat : Lava flows, rock outcrops, rocky hillsides in creosote bush desert.

Range : Southern California to southern Utah and western Arizona.