Amazon Racerunner

Amazon Racerunner

Ameiva ameiva

Silhouette: SeismicShrimp · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
at Amboró National Park

In 3 days ~90% in a week >90%

7 Verified sightings at Amboró National Park From 2019 to 2026
376 In all 11 parks
October Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Amazon Racerunner

Ameiva ameiva, also known as the giant ameiva, green ameiva, South American ground lizard, or Amazon racerunner, is a species of lizard in the family Teiidae found in Central America, South America, and some Caribbean Islands.

It is widespread in Central America and South America, including: Panama, Brazil, Colombia, Surinam, French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, and Paraguay. It is also found on the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, the Grenadines, Barbados, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, Margarita, Swan Island, and Isla de la Providencia. It was also once present on Saint Vincent but has since been extirpated.

Ameiva ameiva has a streamlined body, pointed head, slightly forked tongue, and muscular hind legs. They grow to approximately 45–50 cm (18–20 in). Both sexes have random black specks and mottling along the sides. Females usually have much less green than males and a more dusty green color. Males have vibrant green coloration and more bold mottling. Males also have more expanded jowls. They are popular pets because of the male's striking green coloration.

They live on the forest... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Brownsberg Nature Park 🇸🇷 Suriname
~70%
2 Amboró National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
~50%
3 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
~40%
4 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
~40%
5 El Impenetrable National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
~40%
6 Anavilhanas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~40%
7 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~30%
8 Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas 🇧🇷 Brazil
~30%
9 Serra da Canastra National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
10 Amacayacu National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
~20%
11 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Recife 🇧🇷 Brazil
~40%
2 Salvador 🇧🇷 Brazil
~30%
3 João Pessoa 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
4 Asuncion 🇵🇾 Paraguay
~20%
5 Belém 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
6 Miami 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
7 Vitória 🇧🇷 Brazil
~20%
8 Maceió 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%
9 Brasilia 🇧🇷 Brazil
~10%

Closest Relatives at Amboró National Park

No species of the same family or order lives in Amboró National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Amazon Racerunner in Amboró National Park?

Likely

About 50% of wildlife watchers report an Amazon Racerunner sighting in Amboró National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. Over three days the chance rises to about 90%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Amazon Racerunner in Amboró National Park?

October

In that month about 70% of wildlife watchers report an Amazon Racerunner in Amboró National Park on a given day, against about 10% in April and August, the lowest months. February–March and December have too few records to rate.

What time of day is best to see an Amazon Racerunner?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Amazon Racerunner sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Amboró National Park the best place to see an Amazon Racerunner?

2nd of 11

Of the 11 parks where we can rate Amazon Racerunner sightings, Amboró National Park ranks 2nd at about 50%. The best odds are in Brownsberg Nature Park (Suriname, about 70%). All parks ranked.

Where does the Amazon Racerunner sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Amazon Racerunner is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Amboró National Park (7 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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