What type of reptiles live in the desert

It feeds enough to enable it to survive during its hibernation period thereby laying credence to its smart survival tactics. It mainly feeds on rodents, birds, eggs, fish or any other small mammal whenever opportunity strikes. The horned desert viper is one of the deadliest creatures in the Sahara Desert. Its venom can kill its prey almost immediately. It is so-named due to its two protruding horns on its triangular-shaped head, making it easy to distinguish from other desert vipers.

Its length varies from cm, and they usually move by way of sidewinding through the desert sand, which means that they generally glide in a sideways direction across the terrain. These vipers usually feed on rodents, small mammals, birds, and lizards. During hot days, they often bury themselves in the sand with their nostrils exposed. They use this same skill whenever they want to catch their prey. An interesting addition to this list is the desert crocodile. You might be wondering how a crocodile can survive in the desert when they are more commonly seen as earth-to-water reptiles.

This is because, during the drought periods, crocodiles usually shift their location to burrows and caves located in the desert. Here they remain dormant and only reappear whenever the wet season kicks in again. You can easily distinguish it from other snakes based on the dark brown arrow shaped marking on its head. There are only two venomous lizards in the world, and one of them is the gila monster.

It has a very painful bite! If you see one, it's best to get away! When Nature Strikes: Wildfires - Why are they a challenge to stop? Become a member Member Benefits, No Ads. Real Climate: climate science from climate scientists. Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment.

Citizen Science Buzz. Frameworks Scientists in Schools. Share this page. RSS Feeds. If you see a gila monster like this one, you might want to stay away! Click on image for full size Courtesy of Corel Photography. Last modified October 15, by Jennifer Bergman. What's New on the Site? Upcoming W2U Events. Join Today - Benefits, No Ads! Special Offers for Teachers. Member Benefits. Teacher Newsletter. False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.

Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence. Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities. The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park. The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park.

The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list. Species attribute definitions. Visit NPSpecies for more comprehensive information and advanced search capability. Have a suggestion or comment on this list? Let us know. Box Death Valley , CA Explore This Park.

Info Alerts Maps Calendar. Alerts In Effect Dismiss. Dismiss View all alerts. Featured Species. Desert Tortoise. Found in the flats and foothills from to feet. Desert banded gecko Coleonyx variegatus variegatus Nocturnal; valley floor to feet. Desert iguana Dipsosaurus dorsalis In and around mesquite hummocks and other similar locations with fine sandy soil; in low canyons and washes up to feet.

Zebra-tailed lizard Callisaurus draconoides Sandy and gravelly areas near dunes and in washes; common on roads in morning in spring , summer, and fall. Mojave fringe-toed lizard Uma scoparia Found in the Ibex Dunes in Death Valley, this lizard is restricted to sandy habitats with fine to very fine grained sand. The fringe-toed lizard has specially adapted fringes on its toes that allow it to run across sand at speeds up to 10 miles per hour.

This lizard can also "swim" underneath soft sand to find cooler temperatures. Collared lizard Crotaphytus bicinctores Among rocks in hilly areas and washes, on slopes; from to feet. Leopard lizard Gambelia wislizenii Valley floor to feet on alluvial fans, in canyons and washes with scattered vegetation.