Eastern Fence Lizard

Description:

Spotted in Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, AL. Found in an open wooded area basking on a fallen tree. It was very cooperative for pictures, as it was spotted at 6:30 am and it was roughly 65 degrees outside.

Habitat:

Fence lizards range across the Southeast and are common in many habitats from the mountains to the coast. Unlike other lizards, though, fence lizards are not particularly common on barrier islands. While seldom found far from trees, fence lizards are most common in dry, open forests, particularly if there are abundant logs and stumps where they may hide.

Notes:

In 70 years, according to a study published in 2009, eastern fence lizards in parts of the United States have adapted to have longer legs and new behaviors to escape the red imported fire ant, which can kill the lizard in under a minute.