If you visit the Copper Ridge Dinosaur Tracks site or the Mill Canyon Dinosaur trail, both north of Moab, try to imagine living in a world with these ancient reptiles. The tracks at Copper Ridge are from massive herbivores, probably Camarasaurus, and others believed to belong to Allosaurus, a carnivorous theropod dinosaur that is now the state fossil of Utah, that walked (ran!) on stout hind legs and struck fear into the hearts of their prey.

Though the golden age of dinosaurs is over (mostly), their modern-day descendants such as lizards, snakes, turtles, birds, and crocodiles still persist in the world and most, minus the crocs, still roam across this now desert landscape.

There are 23 native lizards in Utah, but not all of these are found in the southeastern corner of the state. Of these the plateau side-blotched lizard and the ornate tree lizard are two of the more common species. Small in size, these lizards appear on warm days in winter as their size enables them to warm up sooner than the larger lizards that occur here. Both feed on insects and moths, and in turn, may be prey for long-nosed leopard lizards or the colorful eastern collard lizard or its less colorful cousin the great basin collard lizard.

The collard lizards, notable for their size and color patterns, resemble mini Allosaurus when they rear up on the hind legs and run with bipedal motion after prey or away from predators.

Other lizard groups include the whiptails, named for their long, whip-like tails, and the “blue bellies,” such as the northern sagebrush lizards or great basin fence lizard. Their iridescent undersides give these lizards their common moniker.

Not to be outdone, there are over 30 species of snakes native to Utah. In Canyon Country, the elusive midget-faded rattlesnake is common but rarely observed. When alarmed, the snakes coil up and rattle the buttons on their tails as a warning to predators. Even if they strike, they inject venom about 33 percent of the time; however, that venom can be very toxic.

The gopher snake is a non-venomous relative of rattlesnakes but they use an imitation of the rattlesnake’s warning system to fool predators into thinking they, too, are venomous and not to be messed with. Though often seen slithering across roads or slickrock, the gopher snake is an agile climber of trees or short canyon walls where it may prey on bird nestlings.

Whipsnakes, named for their long, streamlined bodies, may also be arboreal, climbing into shrubs or small trees in search of prey or to hide. Rarely observed, these snakes prey on rodents, lizards, smaller snakes, and amphibians. Their slim body is hard to distinguish from a branch, thus they blend in well with their surroundings.

Together, snakes and lizards are considered squamates – in the largest order of reptiles Squamata – which is derived from words meaning “having scales.” These creatures are well suited for life in the desert and their presence is a part of the landscape as much as the pinyons and junipers. Please be respectful of these creatures by giving them space and not trying to capture them. Especially lizards, whose tails may break apart (after they’ve bitten you!), a unique adaptation called tail or caudal autotomy, and continue to squirm on the ground. This distraction is meant to allow the lizard time to escape, but it takes a toll on their bodies to regrow a tail.

Instead, consider taking a photograph and uploading it to the iNaturalist website (inaturalist.org) and contribute towards understanding these unique desert creatures and their habitat needs.