Gambelia copeii
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
The Baja California leopard lizard (Gambelia copeii), also known commonly as Cope's leopard lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Crotaphytidae. The species is endemic to Baja California and adjacent southern California.
The specific name, copeii, is in honor of American herpetologist and paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope. Gambelia copeii is between 8 and 14 cm (3.1 and 5.5 in) in snout-to-vent length (SVL), and has a smoky gray color and darker gray or black dorsal spots, edged in a lighter shade. The dorsal pattern appears mottled or ocellated. There are light crossbars on the dorsum, and light gray or white on the venter. It has small granular scales. The large head is distinct from the neck, and the lining of the mouth and throat is purplish-black. Juvenile lizards are similar to adults, but have more distinct banding across the dorsum. Females develop red-orange blotches on the ventral side during breeding season. Males have femoral pores.
The Baja California leopard lizard is an uncommon species. It is a powerful bipedal runner. An adult can inflict a painful bite. It prefers chaparral habitats with an open understory.... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
More parks will be added in future updates.
No species of the same family or order lives in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cope's Leopard Lizard sighting in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 16th most-seen of the 20 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and May
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Cope's Leopard Lizard in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in July to February, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cope's Leopard Lizard sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Only El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve, in our data
El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Cope's Leopard Lizard sightings: about 10% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cope's Leopard Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve (8 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.
