Western Fence Lizard
Sceloporus occidentalis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyPhrynosomatidae (Frinosomàtids)
- GenusSceloporus (Spiny Lizards)
- SpeciesSceloporus occidentalis (Western Fence Lizard)
The western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) is a species of lizard native to Arizona, New Mexico, and California, as well as Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Northern Mexico. The species is widely found in its native range and is considered common, often being seen in yards, or as the name implies, on fences. As the ventral abdomen of an adult is characteristically blue, it is also known as the blue-belly. Two western fence lizards have been reported with duplicated or forked tails, presumably following an autotomy. Wikipedia →
20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Western Fence Lizard sighting in Redwood National Park, based on 56 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
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 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Western Fence Lizard in Redwood National Park?
About 24% of wildlife watchers report a Western Fence Lizard sighting in Redwood National Park, based on 56 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Western Fence Lizard in Redwood National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Western Fence Lizard in Redwood National Park in our monthly data.