Bronchocela cristatella
Silhouette: Michael Scroggie · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
Bronchocela cristatella, also known as the green crested lizard, is a species of agamid lizard endemic to Southeast Asia. B. cristatella is found in Malaysia (West Malaysia and Borneo), Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines (Palawan, Calamian Islands, Panay, Luzon), South Thailand, south Myanmar (Tenasserim Hills), and India (Nicobar Islands).
This species is a bright green lizard, sometimes possessing a blue tint on the head. It is able to change colour, turning darker brown when threatened. There is a dark ring around each eye, and a dark spot at the back of the head. The males have a crest on the neck.
It has a very long and thin tail (75% of total length). The body length is of 13 cm (5.1 in), and the total length (body + tail) is of 57 cm (22 in). From C.A.L. Günther (1864) The Reptiles of British India. Scales of the sides small, there being about forty in one of the transverse scries; ventral scales much larger, in fourteen longitudinal rows. A short scries of three or four larger scales forms a continuation of the superciliary margin; no other large scale on the temple. Nuchal crest low, formed by triangular spines; it is not continued... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bako National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 5 | Kerinci Seblat National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 6 | Gunung Leuser National Park | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 7 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 8 | Taman Negara National Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kuching | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Singapore | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 3 | Kuala Lumpur | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Green Crested Lizard sighting in Kinabalu Park on a given day, based on 76 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 69 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Green Crested Lizard in Kinabalu Park on a given day, against about 30% in March to May, the lowest months.
Between 4 and 7 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Green Crested Lizard sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
3rd of 8
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Green Crested Lizard sightings, Kinabalu Park ranks 3rd at about 40%. The best odds are in Bako National Park (Malaysia, about 60%) and Danum Valley Conservation Area (Malaysia, about 50%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Agamidae
The closest relatives of the Green Crested Lizard that you can see in Kinabalu Park (family Agamidae, Dragons) are Borneo Forest Dragon (about 50%), Malayan Crested Lizard (about 40%) and Mocquard's Eyebrow Lizard (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Green Crested Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Kinabalu Park (76 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.
