The Story of a Lizard

Lizard - Sunni's Photo's



We have many lizards here in the desert. I’m not sure what kind this is, but they are plentiful around my house. The colors range from a light brownish-red to a dark brown color. Most of them have black bands around their neck. I got on Google, but  I’m still not able to decipher which kind of lizard this is. My best guess is a Great Basin Fence Lizard.

Lizard's Back - Sunni's Photo's

My husband was mowing the grass a few days ago and he almost ran over this guy. He stopped short and the lizard was by the wheel of the mower. Stunned, he didn’t move and my husband was able to touch him and said his skin was very rough. In about a minute or two, the lizard took off as fast as his legs would carry him. However, he didn’t go far and got under the honeysuckle bush we have on the fence. A lizard liked to stay around there, so I’m thinking this was this one.

Lizard's Belly - Sunni's Photos

Sadly, the next morning he was still there and dead, so I went out and buried him under this bush. I looked at him closely then and he was gorgeous with beautiful fluorescent colors on his belly that we humans would never see. I took pictures to share with all of you. The male lizard is the more colorful one, which seems to be the way it is with all animals and birds. We are thinking he died of old age since most lizards this size live 3-4 years, if that. Or perhaps he had a heart attack, scared to death by the motor of the lawn mower and his narrow escape. I don’t know if lizards have heart attacks.