Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama

Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama

Agama mwanzae

Silhouette: Natalie Claunch · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Masai Mara National Reserve

In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%

158 Verified sightings at Masai Mara National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
469 In all 3 parks
April Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama

The Mwanza flat-headed rock agama (Agama mwanzae) is a lizard reptile in the family Agamidae, found in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya. It lives in semideserts and can often be seen in the heat of the day basking on rocks or kopjes. The male's head, neck, and shoulders are bright red or violet, while the body is dark blue. The female is mostly brown and is difficult to distinguish from female agamas of other species. This lizard is often confused with the red-headed rock agama (Agama agama). Males preferably have around five breeding partners and are highly territorial. Once a male has won over a female, the lizard performs exotic head bobs and head swinging to court her.

The species has become a fashionable pet due to the male's coloration, which resembles the comic-book superhero Spider-Man. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~60%
2 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~40%
3 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 Houston Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity
2 Staten Island Zoo 🇺🇸 United States In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama in Masai Mara National Reserve?

Likely

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama sighting in Masai Mara National Reserve on a given day, based on 158 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 13 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.

When is the best time to see a Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama in Masai Mara National Reserve?

April and August

In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama in Masai Mara National Reserve on a given day, against about 30% in June and November, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama 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 Masai Mara National Reserve the best place to see a Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama?

2nd of 3

Of the 3 parks where we can rate Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama sightings, Masai Mara National Reserve ranks 2nd at about 40%. The best odds are in Serengeti National Park (Tanzania, about 60%).

Where does the Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Mwanza Flat-headed Rock Agama is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Masai Mara National Reserve (158 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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