Heliobolus lugubris
Silhouette: Gustav Mützel · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
Heliobolus lugubris, also known commonly as the bushveld lizard, mourning racerunner, or the black and yellow sand lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is found in Southern Africa: southern Angola, Namibia, Botswana, southwestern Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique, and south-central to northern South Africa.
Juveniles of H. lugubris are black with light spots and move with a hunched gait, mimicking the appearance of Anthia ground beetles. This mimicry is thought to discourage predation, as the beetles spray formic acid as a defense mechanism and are thus less appealing targets for predators. This is one of very few recorded examples of a vertebrate mimicking an invertebrate.
Branch, Bill (2004). Field Guide to Snakes and other Reptiles of Southern Africa. Third Revised edition, Second impression. Sanibel Island, Florida: Ralph Curtis Books. 399 pp. ISBN 0-88359-042-5. (Heliobolus lugubris, p. 161 + Plate 57). Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterberg Plateau Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 2 | Etosha National Park | 🇳🇦 Namibia | |
| 3 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Bushveld Lizard sighting in Waterberg Plateau Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 5th most-seen of the 7 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.
November
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Bushveld Lizard in Waterberg Plateau Park on a given day, against about 10% in May–August, October and December–February, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bushveld 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.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Bushveld Lizard sightings, Waterberg Plateau Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Etosha National Park (Namibia, about 10%) and Kruger National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Bushveld Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Waterberg Plateau Park (6 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.
