Northern Alligator Lizard

Photo: Rory Telemeco
Photo: Rory Telemeco
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Elgaria coerulea

What they look like

  • Northern alligator lizards are small to medium-sized rough-scaled lizards with short limbs and a long tail.
  • Their body is around 4 inches long and their tail adds an additional 6 inches.
  • Their back is brown with numerous dark blotches or bands. Their underside is light gray with dark shadows around the edges of each scale.

All About Amphibians

Name: Northern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria coerulea)
Order: Lizard (Squamata)
Family: Alligator Lizards (Anguidae)

A close up view of a northern alligator lizard sitting on a white rock
Photo: Rory Telemeco
Photo: Rory Telemeco

Northern Alligator Lizard.

Fast Facts

Where they live

  • View a map of where they live.
  • Northern alligator lizards can be found in northern Idaho, western Montana, and along the Pacific coast of southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern and central California.
  • Tend to live in grassy, bushy, or rocky openings within forested areas.
  • Can also tolerate areas of low to moderate development, including in rock retaining walls, woody debris, rock piles, and near the bases of newly emerging buildings.

What they eat

  • Feed on crickets, spiders, mealworms, moths, snails, small lizards, and baby mice.

Breeding

  • During the summer, females give birth to live young.

Threats

  • Even though large-scale habitat destruction may threaten northern alligator lizards, they are considered “least concern” due to their ability to tolerate some forms of habitat destruction, large distribution, and numerous large stable populations.
  • View their status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
small brown salamander on bright green vegetation

Amphibians & Reptiles of Washington

Do you know where rattlesnakes live in our state? Or which salamander breathes through its skin? Explore the fascinating diversity of the 26 species of amphibians and 28 reptiles found in Washington state.

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