Elgaria multicarinata
Silhouette: Jose Carlos Arenas-Monroy · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
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 Yosemite National Park on a given day, based on 34 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 11th most-seen of the 17 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and June
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Alligator Lizard in Yosemite National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and October–February, the lowest months. Those are among Yosemite National Park's driest months, with about 40 mm of rain a month against 220 mm in January.
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.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Southern Alligator Lizard sightings, Yosemite National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Channel Islands National Park (United States, about 30%) and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (United States, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Alligator Lizard is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Yosemite National Park (34 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.
