2306_0732 Greater Short-horned Lizard
Last in the brief series of northern prairie reptiles is the Greater Short-horned Lizard. The only species of lizard found in Saskatchewan and Alberta, it is limited to about ten scattered locations and considered endangered in Canada, mostly due to human intrusion and industrial development (oil and gas). Thankfully, the population in Grasslands Park is fully protected.
I had not seen one for years, so it was very exciting to notice a sudden furtive movement at my feet while walking the rim of a coulee. And there it was!
They're small; this one was about 4 inches in length. Due to its girth, I think it's a female; males are more narrowly built, and tend to be shorter. Once again, I found myself on my belly with the macro lens, trying not to stick myself with nearby cactus thorns, trying to convince a reptile that I was a benign monster and not a predator. Haha, good luck with that! But it did pose nicely for about 100 shots before I left it in peace. Total time spent with this critter (according to EXIF data): 15 minutes.
This is an appropriate day to offer a shot of a lizard, not because it is the 147th anniversary of Custer's well-deserved defeat at the Little Bighorn, but because this morning I am going on a lizard walk with some friends and a local biologist. That's one advantage of living next to a national park: research and conservation projects are ongoing, and I get to meet experts in various scientific disciplines. I might even retain some of the information they so generously share.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2023 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
2306_0732 Greater Short-horned Lizard
Last in the brief series of northern prairie reptiles is the Greater Short-horned Lizard. The only species of lizard found in Saskatchewan and Alberta, it is limited to about ten scattered locations and considered endangered in Canada, mostly due to human intrusion and industrial development (oil and gas). Thankfully, the population in Grasslands Park is fully protected.
I had not seen one for years, so it was very exciting to notice a sudden furtive movement at my feet while walking the rim of a coulee. And there it was!
They're small; this one was about 4 inches in length. Due to its girth, I think it's a female; males are more narrowly built, and tend to be shorter. Once again, I found myself on my belly with the macro lens, trying not to stick myself with nearby cactus thorns, trying to convince a reptile that I was a benign monster and not a predator. Haha, good luck with that! But it did pose nicely for about 100 shots before I left it in peace. Total time spent with this critter (according to EXIF data): 15 minutes.
This is an appropriate day to offer a shot of a lizard, not because it is the 147th anniversary of Custer's well-deserved defeat at the Little Bighorn, but because this morning I am going on a lizard walk with some friends and a local biologist. That's one advantage of living next to a national park: research and conservation projects are ongoing, and I get to meet experts in various scientific disciplines. I might even retain some of the information they so generously share.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2023 James R. Page - all rights reserved.