Collared lizards

I had the opportunity to help gather a number of Collared lizards in Missouri for a relocation project with MDC. I had not seen these beautiful creatures in the wild until the project. Seven of us, including my mother and myself, ran about a rocky area in search of the critters.

We flipped rocks- my mother found a copperhead, another found a ringneck- I got the wasps' nest.

It was not until the sun was able to overcome a passing storm- around 10 am- that we saw a lizard. Head herpetologist for MDC, Jeff Briggler, spotted a large, colorful male in the distance. The greens and blues from the lizard were intense- he was also much larger than I imagined a Collared lizard becoming.

They approached the lizard in hoped of chasing it from it's hole and catching it by hand. Jeff was armed with a fishing-rod nuse just in case. Jeff didn't have a chance; the collard' disappeared before they got close. He spotted two others close-by in no time. I sat above the original males' hideout while they tried at the others. Briggler tied a nuse from fly-line to my fishing rod. I was to approach a lizard slowly, slip the lasso around it's neck and pull as if I was setting a hook on a fish. The large male peeked out- I saw only one glaring eyeball staring at me from the crevasse;

He came out after a while. Other volunteers and project participants disappeared over a hill, leaving only myself and two others to wrangle the six identified lizards on our rocks.

I slipped the nuse around the Collareds' head and neck- 'was surprised he allowed me to do so-didn't even flinch!

I 'set the hook'- he was caught! !! !, but only for a few seconds. the rope sipped over his face and the poor lizard zipped across the rocks. He found another good hole and hid. I tried several more times. Other participants brought in Lizards. they were held in pillowcases and stashed in the shade.

I gave up on my lizard and got my first lizard. An average-sized female. Another. I got new bags and found a new spot. Two females perched upon a rock. I approached the lizards and extended my fishin' rod. They were more skiddish than the others.

A huge green guy was on the rocks to the right of me. I put my stuff down and took some photos. He took off- I tried to follow, but he was just too damn fast !

I couldnt even see where he'd gone. I nused a small female on my seach for the big guy.. Then he caught my eye again. He split to the left the second I stopped. This time, however, he picked the wrong rock. I peeked under the rock- which was far to large for me to lift.

Stuck my hand infront of him to block his likely exit path. My hand did not fit under the rock as far as I'd planned- my stretched fingers could only brush his nose. He chomped on my finger; I jerked back unconsciously.

I stuck my hand back under the rock- when he came at me this time, I pushed the tip of my finger toward him and his mouth was stuck. He tried to bite me, but he couldnt open his mouth far enough to dislodge from me. I pulled him out slowly- he was clamped to my finger.. got him out and into a bag after a photo. I got a good row of teethmarks on my finger to prove it !

We caught 19 and released two females to create a more desirable male/female ratio. Jeff took a tissue sample to keep track of DNA in our new population.

It was awesome! The collared lizards are truly fascinating!... they are gorgeous.. and probably the fastest land-critter in MO! Ohhh... and we got to see a few take off two-legged!