Scarlet Snake

Reptiles > Non-venomous Snakes

The Scarlet Snake (Cemophora coccinea) is an exquisite, secretive burrower native to the sandy pinelands and coastal plains of the American Southeast. Famous for its brilliant, high-contrast tri-color bands of crimson, creamy-yellow, and jet-black, this gentle,...

Southern Alligator Lizard

Reptiles > Lizards

The Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) is a large, assertive squamate native to the Mediterranean scrublands and oak woodlands of the Pacific Coast. Named for its rough, armored dorsal scales and broad, prehistoric-looking head that resemble a miniature...

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake

Reptiles > Snakes

The Western Terrestrial Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans), commonly known throughout mountain regions as the Wandering Garter Snake, is one of the hardiest and most ecologically adaptable reptiles in western North America. Found from arid desert sagebrush basins to...

Eastern Glass Lizard

Reptiles > Legless Lizards

The Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) is an extraordinary, legless squamate native to the sandy pine flatwoods and coastal grasslands of the American Southeast. Frequently mistaken by casual observers for a snake, it is a true lizard that evolved completely...

Western Ribbon Snake

Reptiles > Colubrid Snakes

The Western Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus) is an exceptionally sleek, lightning-fast colubrid snake native to the wetlands and river margins of the central United States and Central America. A close relative of the familiar garter snake, it is easily recognized by...

Prairie Skink

Reptiles > Lizards

The Prairie Skink (Plestiodon septentrionalis) is a sleek, shiny, fast-moving lizard intimately tied to the native tallgrass prairies of the North American Great Plains. Reaching further north into Canada than almost any other lizard on the continent, this...

Southwestern Fence Lizard

Reptiles > Lizards

The Southwestern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi) is a quintessential, spiny-scaled reptile native to the arid canyonlands, grasslands, and pinyon-juniper woodlands of the American Southwest. A proud member of the famous ‘blue-belly’ lizard group, this...

Southeastern Five-lined Skink

Reptiles > Lizards

The Southeastern Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon inexpectatus) is an agile, smooth-scaled woodland lizard native to the sandy pine ridges and coastal hammocks of the American Southeast. Famous for its dazzling juveniles that sport an electric neon-blue tail, this...

Texas Spotted Whiptail

Reptiles > Lizards

The Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis gularis) is a lightning-fast, beautifully patterned lizard native to the sun-baked savannas and rocky canyonlands of Texas and northern Mexico. Known for its endless stamina and whip-like, elongated tail, this active diurnal...

Red-bellied Snake

Reptiles > Colubrids

The Red-bellied Snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) is a tiny, secretive, and completely harmless woodland serpent native to eastern North America. Celebrated by naturalists and gardeners alike for its dramatic secret coloration—combining a drab grey or slate-brown...