Earless lizards patrol Big Bend trails

Compared to the anoles we see around Slap Out Gully, these Greater Earless lizards of Big Bend look fat and fancy.

Walking along the trail to Closed Canyon, the lizards would tease us by catching our attention then running about 25 feet away to see if we would follow.

It is breeding season for the Greater Earless Lizards. The females bury eggs March though August, and then leave the eggs. When the babies hatch, they are on their own.

The lizards, which are around 7 inches long, have a lifespan of about two years if they are lucky.

To regulate their body temperature, the lizards burrow under the sand. But sand can't clog their ears because they don't have external openings. Good planning, evolution.