WESTERN WHIPTAIL
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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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Western Whiptail
The slender, grayish, yellow-brown western whiptail is a common sight in the desert around Las Vegas. Reaching lengths of six to eight inches, the long tail and narrow, pointed head are good identification clues. Young whiptails have bright blue tails. This is a wary and nervous lizard that is quick to run if approached. Not only is it fast, it can quickly change direction while running, which helps to confuse anything chasing it. The whiptail’s speed is the source of another name – racerunner. This lizard feeds on small insects, many of which it digs from the ground. It also digs its own burrows for shelter.
