In this photo, you see a Leopard Lizard eating some Desert Mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum) berries that were scattered all across the sand. Interestingly enough, the markings and colorations on this large male mimic that of the berries on the ground. This epic camouflage allows the animal to comfortably forage amongst his food out in the open with little fear of being spotted by a predator. This color scheme will also help to draw in the females from far away. When there is little food to be found, he will be a beacon for their attention. Blunt-Nosed Leopard Lizards (Gambelia sila) are a rather decent sized desert-dwelling lizard, and they can take off on a dime.
This Photograph was taken in the deserts of Southern California, in Joshua Tree National Park, with a Canon T5 standard lens. Although quite elusive, this particular animal didn’t seem too bothered by our presence. In an effort to keep this handsome lizard from taking off, I was crawling prone very slowly across the sand for about 15 minutes in order to get this shot. I had fun with it. Isn’t he just gorgeous?