One important reason for this preserve is to protect the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard. The lizards live here exclusively on the sand dunes. Today we went out looking for some of them on those dunes, just checking out the habitat and seeing if we could find any. There were lots of tracks on the dunes, and not only those of the lizards. There were also sidewinder, pocket mouse, rabbit, and other lizard tracks. It took a while for us to see any, but after a bit we saw some running away, and then got to see one up close.
There is more than one kind of fringe-toed lizard. The name comes from the fan of scales on their toes. The lizard uses these scales to help it burrow. It's well designed for burrowing, a trick which keeps it out of the sun. In the intense heat here, the surface sand can get up to 150 degrees, so it's safer to escape beneath the sand to where it's moist and relatively cool. Besides the toes, the lizard has a few more adaptations that helps it to burrow effectively. It has an overbite to make sure no sand gets in its mouth, and nasal passages that work like a grease trap in a sink, making sure it doesn't breathe in any sand.
In the winter the lizards hibernate, and in the summer they don't even come out of their burrows until it's around 90 degrees, although that happens pretty early here. By noon they all retreat back into the sand, avoiding the worst heat of the day.
The fringe-toed lizard is whitish gray with leopard-like black markings on the back and the tail. The body and tail are wide and flat. Bright orange encircles the eyes and thinly stripes the sides.
The Coachella Valley lizard became endangered because developers leveled and paved what was once dunes for housing. The unique ecosystem they so love has disappeared 75% since the 1970s, going from around 270 square miles to only 50.
They may not have all the space they were used to, but there's at least some protected space for them to live, away from humans. Progress still continues in securing surrounding sand fields and the hills that are the origin of the sand that feeds the dunes, so things are happening. Yay!
There is more than one kind of fringe-toed lizard. The name comes from the fan of scales on their toes. The lizard uses these scales to help it burrow. It's well designed for burrowing, a trick which keeps it out of the sun. In the intense heat here, the surface sand can get up to 150 degrees, so it's safer to escape beneath the sand to where it's moist and relatively cool. Besides the toes, the lizard has a few more adaptations that helps it to burrow effectively. It has an overbite to make sure no sand gets in its mouth, and nasal passages that work like a grease trap in a sink, making sure it doesn't breathe in any sand.
In the winter the lizards hibernate, and in the summer they don't even come out of their burrows until it's around 90 degrees, although that happens pretty early here. By noon they all retreat back into the sand, avoiding the worst heat of the day.
The fringe-toed lizard is whitish gray with leopard-like black markings on the back and the tail. The body and tail are wide and flat. Bright orange encircles the eyes and thinly stripes the sides.
The Coachella Valley lizard became endangered because developers leveled and paved what was once dunes for housing. The unique ecosystem they so love has disappeared 75% since the 1970s, going from around 270 square miles to only 50.
They may not have all the space they were used to, but there's at least some protected space for them to live, away from humans. Progress still continues in securing surrounding sand fields and the hills that are the origin of the sand that feeds the dunes, so things are happening. Yay!
Is that you or Aunt Ginny holding that lizard? I had no idea they were so big! You seem to have a lot of information on all the animals you write about. Are you doing research as well as observing?
ReplyDeleteI am doing research as well as the observation. I'm holding the lizard!
ReplyDelete