Common Chuckwalla
Common ChuckwallaCommon ChuckwallaCommon ChuckwallaCommon Chuckwalla

Common Chuckwalla

Sauromalus ater

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
60–70% · Likely
overall probability at Death Valley National Park
427 Verified records at Death Valley National Park
March Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

Sauromalus ater, also known as the common chuckwalla or northern chuckwalla, is a species of lizard in the family Iguanidae. It inhabits the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts of the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Its range extends from eastern California, Utah, and Nevada south to Baja California and Sonora. Wikipedia →

60–70% of wildlife watchers report a Common Chuckwalla sighting in Death Valley National Park, based on 427 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Death Valley National Park

Desert Iguana
LC

Desert Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Dipsosaurus dorsalis

50–60% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
70–80
Feb
70–80
Mar
70–80
Apr
70–80
May
60–70
Jun
70–80
Jul
50–60
Aug
50–60
Sep
30–40
Oct
20–30
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
60–70%
2 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
50–60%
3 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
4 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Chuckwalla in Death Valley National Park?

About 69% of wildlife watchers report a Common Chuckwalla sighting in Death Valley National Park, based on 427 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Chuckwalla in Death Valley National Park?

March has the highest sighting rate for Common Chuckwalla in Death Valley National Park in our monthly data.

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