Matobosaurus validus
Silhouette: Beth Reinke · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%
The giant plated lizard (Matobosaurus validus) is a lizard in the family Gerrhosauridae, which is found in dry to mesic habitats of southern Africa. They are wary and stay close to their rocky retreats. A large lizard with a flattened head and body with a total length of up to 69 cm (27 in) or even 75 cm (29.5 in) and a snout-vent length (SVL) of 28 cm (11 in). The soles of the feet have black rubber-like balls, an adaptation to living on rock outcrops. It is called the plated lizard because of the platelike scales on the back. This lizard is very shy and hard to approach. When threatened, it will jam itself into rock crevices (aided by its flattened body) and inflate with air, making it impossible to extricate it.
It is omnivorous, consuming a fair amount of plant matter in addition to insects and even baby tortoises. It also tends to form loose colonies. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 2 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 3 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pairi Daiza | 🇧🇪 Belgium | |
| 2 | National Zoological Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Zürich Zoo | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | |
| 4 | California Academy of Sciences | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | North Carolina Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Oakland Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | National Zoological Garden of South Africa | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 8 | Detroit Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Berlin Zoological Garden | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 11 | Oregon Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 12 | Reptile Gardens | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 13 | Montecasino Bird Gardens | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 14 | Hartbeespoort Dam Snake and Animal Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 15 | Aquarium Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 16 | Exotic Animal World | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
No species of the same family or order lives in Hwange National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Common Giant Plated Lizard sighting in Hwange National Park on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 5th most-seen of the 8 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March and May
In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Common Giant Plated Lizard in Hwange National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, June–August and December, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Giant Plated 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.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Common Giant Plated Lizard sightings, Hwange National Park ranks 2nd at about 30%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Gonarezhou National Park (Zimbabwe, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Giant Plated Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Hwange National Park (11 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.
