Lesser Known Species Highlight: Desert Iguana
Meet southern Utah’s desert iguana (Dipsosaurus dorsalis)!
Photo by Keaton Wood
Once thought to be extirpated from the state of Utah, desert iguanas have recently been relisted as a Species of Greatest Information Need (SGIN) after Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials and Utah Tech University faculty and students located the species in 2023. More individuals were located during Utah Tech’s IguanaThon in 2024 and 2025.
This reptile is present throughout the Mojave desert, including the very tip of Utah’s southwestern corner. Given its limited range and population, the desert iguana is certainly a lesser known species in Utah!
Desert iguanas are a medium sized lizard, typically reaching 16 inches in length. They are light tan to gray in color, and feature a dazzling white and brown spotted pattern on their backs. They have long tails and rounded snouts, a signature look for iguanas across the Americas.
Desert iguanas can be found among chaparral ecosystems in the Mojave desert, particularly in creosote shrub communities. This spans the states of California, Nevada, Arizona, and the extreme southwestern corner of Utah. They are also found in Baja California and throughout northwestern Mexico.
Photo by Keaton Wood
Photo by Sierra Hastings
These lizards often inhabit rock crevices and rodent burrows. They are tolerant of high temperatures and are well adapted to living in loose, sandy soils. They feed on vegetation, insects, decaying flesh, and sometimes their own feces! No judgement, desert iguana – life can be hard in the desert.
Much of the desert iguana’s habitat has been impacted by human development. They are highly threatened by grazing as they are outcompeted for food sources. They are also impacted by road construction. Sadly, few iguanas make it across the highway in one piece! Other threats to their ecosystems are residential and commercial development, including agriculture.
Photo by Keaton Wood
Interested in conserving desert iguana populations? When working with SGINs, the first step to conservation is research. You can contribute to community science efforts to learn more about desert iguanas and their conservation needs by participating in the following projects:
Utah HerpSearch is a project led by Sageland Collaborative, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Utah Tech University aiming to document reptiles and amphibians (herps) across the state. Volunteers can get involved by logging their herp observations in iNaturalist: Simply snap photos of herps you see out in the wild. Identifying herp species on your own is not required, simply upload your photos to the app! When herp sightings are logged into iNaturalist, they can be identified by community experts and used for research!
Another opportunity to contribute to desert iguana research is by participating in Utah Tech’s IguanaThon, where state agencies, universities, and community members search for the desert iguana. During IguanaThon 2025, an individual was found farther north than had ever been recorded! Little is known about desert iguana populations in Utah, and IguanaThon is the perfect opportunity to learn more about this mysterious reptile.
More information on Utah’s desert iguana can be found in Utah Division of Wildlife Resources’ Field Guide.
Article by Olivia Chase