The Federally Endangered Blunt Nosed Leopard Lizard

The blunt nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia silus) is a federally listed endangered species and is also listed as endangered by the state of California. It was federally listed in 1967 and by the state in 1971. It's a somewhat large lizard a little under 5 inches in length. Like most lizards, it will lose its tail when frightened, but it was grow back again. They eat what most other lizards eat; insects and some plants. They are sometimes hard to distinguish from other lizards because they vary so much in color. They can be brown or gray, but their stomachs are white. Their patterning over their backs gives them the name 'leopard' since they are spotted.

They require a large home range, anywhere from 2-4 acres, depending on the sex. Males roam more than females, so with habitat loss or disturbance, the populations suffer. They start their mating in early spring and eggs are laid in June or July, hatching in about two months. The weather might delay mating and egg laying and on occasion, might prevent it all together. On the other end, if the weather is exceptionally good, females could lay more than one clutch of eggs in a season.

The blunt nose leopard lizard tends to used abandoned burrows, generally ground squirrel burrows, to live in, but they can also dig out their own tunnels. They prefer to choose areas under rocks for safety against other lizards or predators. Their natural predators are snakes, bird and mammals. The lizards are found primarily in the San Joaquin Valley of California, but have also been found in Taft and around Bakersfield. Their habitat consists of grasses and scrub land.

Because of their need for a relatively large area, cattle grazing, development, off road vehicles and pesticide use has decreased the population to dangerously low levels. The federal government, state department of fish and game and conservation groups are working hard to protect this species from extinction, but unless its habitat can be preserved, it doesn't stand much chance. The state department of fish and game has acquired some habitat areas where they have found some of the lizards and hope that the species will survive. Several agencies have joined forces to identify other areas of critical habitat so that additional areas can be made into reserves for the lizard. Once areas are identified and dedicated to the blunt nose leopard lizard, no development or off road use is permitted. It was become a sanctuary where the lizards could thrive.