Northern Alligator Lizard

Northern Alligator Lizard
Elgaria coerulea

Northern alligator lizards share much of their range and habits with Southern alligator lizards. But as their name suggests, they are found much farther north than their Southern counterparts, thriving in the woodlands and riparian areas of central California coast, up through British Columbia, and eastward into Northern Idaho and Montana.

These nimble, carnivorous lizards prey on a wide variety of insects and will take small mice and smaller lizards if given the opportunity. They are in turn targeted by hawks, owls, mammals, and larger reptiles in their habitats. If they can escape predation and reside in a healthy, abundant habitat, their lifespan could extend beyond 10 years!

Our two Northern alligator lizards, Drogon and Rhaegal, were taken from the wild, kept as pets, and abandoned at a pet store in 2017. You can meet Drogon next to our common chuckwallas and desert iguanas, while Rhaegal is behind the scenes with some of our other animal ambassadors.