Elgaria multicarinata
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The southern alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) is a common species of lizard in the family Anguidae. The species is native to the Pacific coast of North America. It ranges from Baja California to the state of Washington and lives in a variety of habitats including grasslands, chaparral, forests, and even urban areas. In dry climates, it is likely to be found in moist areas or near streams. There are five recognized subspecies.
Elgaria multicarinata ignava (Van Denburgh, 1905) Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata (Blainville, 1835) Elgaria multicarinata nana (Fitch, 1934) Elgaria multicarinata scincicauda (Skilton, 1849) Elgaria multicarinata webbii (Baird, 1859)
The generic name Elgaria is possibly named for an "Elgar" or a pun on "alligator." The specific name multicarinata refers to the keeled scales characteristic of this species. The common name "alligator lizard" is a reference to the fact that the back and belly scales of these lizards are reinforced by bone, as they are in alligators.
The subspecific name webbii is in honor... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tijuana | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Los Angeles Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | California Living Museum | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Lindsay Wildlife Experience | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Alligator Lizard sighting in Redwood National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 11th most-seen of the 11 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Alligator Lizard in Redwood National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February and June–December, the lowest months. That is one of Redwood National Park's wettest months, with about 360 mm of rain against almost none in July.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Alligator Lizard sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
4th of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Southern Alligator Lizard sightings, Redwood National Park ranks 4th at about 10%. The best odds are in Channel Islands National Park (United States, about 30%), Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (United States, about 20%) and Yosemite National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Alligator Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Redwood National Park (5 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.
