The search for the Utah night lizard

Around us was sand in various hues of oranges and yellows and reds; above us towered sand stone cliffs in similar colors. A few miles distant we had encountered mesas, buttes, and dark, deep - perilously deep - sheer-walled canyons. Here and there a cactus, a succulent, a juniper, or a patch of drought tolerant composites was growing. But for the most part we were surrounded by miles and miles of sand and sandstone cliffs.

We were on a quest and the target was a tiny (up to about 3") lizard, the Utah night lizard, Xantusia vigilis utahensis. This was our second attempt. We tried a year earlier and had failed. But being either gluttons for punishment or dedicated, Kenny and I were back again. Same time of year, same place, but hoping for a different outcome.

As we searched, carefully turning loose chunks of sandstone, ahead of us we could see cars inching their ways in both directions along the section of 261 called the Moki Dugway. This 3 mile stretch of road consists of narrow graveled switchbacks having grades of 10% that carry you up or down 1,100 feet of cliff face with nary a guardrail to be seen, an interesting experience to say the least.

I was just about to comment to Kenny about a sizable truck coming down the dugway when he exclaimed, "lizard." And as I flipped a small chunk of sandstone in the shade of an overhang my turn came: "Lizard!" Mission accomplished or even exceeded.

Both of us had found a little sandstone-orange Utah night lizard. Time for photos.

Can you say DRY!? This is the habitat of the tiny Utah night lizard. Meet the seldom seen Utah night lizard.

Author, photographer, and columnist Richard Bartlett is one of the most prolific writers on herpetological subjects in the 20th century. With hundreds of books and articles to their credit, Richard and his wife Pat have spent over four decades documenting reptiles both in the field and in captivity. For a list of their current titles, please visit their page in our bookstore.