Long-nosed Leopard Lizard

A denizen of the arid landscapes of the sagebrush steppe, foothills, and deserts of the southwestern United States, the northern extent of this large lizard's range are Idaho and Oregon. Females develop red spots along their sides during the mating season while males take on a pinkish hue on their throat and chest. You may see these lizards alongside roads or scuttling through brush; a defense mechanism is to run under shrubs and flatten themselves along the ground and freeze. This is the first lizard I have ever illustrated which posed a unique challenge.