The Blainville’s Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii), or Camaleón del noreste in Spanish, is a non-venomous lizard native to California and areas as far south as northern Baja California, Mexico. A chaparral wildfire will force the horned lizard to retreat underground, burying itself under soft dirt and sand. It will become inactive to avoid periods of extreme heat.

Learn more about the Blainville’s Horned Lizard by visiting the San Diego Natural History Museum’s Amphibian and Reptile Atlas of Peninsular California.

Did you know? As a defensive behavior to deter large threats like dogs, coyotes, and foxes, the Blainville’s Horned Lizard squirts blood from a pore near its eyelid.

PHOTO CREDIT: Phil Roullard