CHUCKWALLA
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WILDLIFE
- Red Racer
- Gopher Snake
- Glossy Snake
- Common Kingsnake
- Mojave Rattlesnake
- Speckled Rattlesnake
- Panamint Rattlesnake
- Desert Sindwinder
- Diamondback Rattlesnake
- Great Basin Rattlesnake
- Gila Monster
- Chuckwalla
- Leopard Lizard
- Collard Lizard
- Spiny Lizard
- Desert Iguana
- Desert Whiptail
ANIMAL MOTION AND BODY COVERINGS
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Chuckwalla
This second largest of Nevada’s lizards is sometimes mistaken for the venomous Gila monster. Although the two lizards don’t look much alike, the chuckwalla’s size and color apparently confuse some people. Chuckwallas have smooth skin are much flatter than Gilas, and even though male chucks may have red or orange and black markings on their backs, there is no true pattern like on a Gila. Female chucks and Gila monsters both have banded tails, but the chuck’s is white and black and the Gila’s red or orange and black. Chuckwallas live in very rocky areas and eat mostly plants. Often seen sunning on large rocks, a chuckwalla’s keen eyesight lets it quickly spot approaching danger, giving it ample time to escape into a nearby crack or crevice.
