Northern alligator lizard - Sierra Club BC
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Northern alligator lizard

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Northern alligator lizard

Elgaria coerulea

Appearance

Northern alligator lizards are brown or grey with some dark spots and stripes on their belly. They can grow to be 25 centimetres long—and half of that is their tail! 

Range & Habitat

These lizards are found from southern B.C. and Vancouver Island to the north coast of California. They are mostly seen in woods and grasslands and are often found under bark or rocks.

REciprocal Relationships

Northern alligator lizards are awake in the day and hunt in the late afternoon. While these reptiles are small, they are brave in their hunting. They will eat many different types of insects, spiders and snails. These lizards are preyed upon by different types of snakes, birds, and cats. If attacked, their tail can break off and keep wiggling to distract a predator while the lizard gets away.

They give birth to live young after mating in April to June. Anywhere from two to fifteen babies are born. Urban sprawl and fire are two of the threats to Northern alligator lizards.

Status

COSEWIC: Not at Risk 
CDC: Yellow 

More Information

If you belong to a First Nation with a story or piece of information not represented here and you would like to share more about this species, please email us at education@sierraclub.bc.ca.

Photo Credit

Canva

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