So far, I’ve taken trips north and south from Phoenix. There are also quite a few trails around the Phoenix area. While the density of wildlife might be lower in the urban area, it’s not always necessary to travel far, so I’ll explore nearby.
Dobbins Lookout is a popular viewpoint overlooking Phoenix. It’s a bit early for sunset, and I don’t have much else to do here, but I came anyway.South Mountain Park, located south of the city, also has various trails.
In this area, there are giant lizards that can grow up to about 50 cm in length, and sometimes photos of them are posted on Google Maps. They are called Common Chuckwallas, a type of iguana that inhabits the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. They should be found near Phoenix, so I wanted to see one during my stay in Arizona.
This is a regular-sized lizard. Ornate Tree Lizard.Its throat is yellow.Based on ecological information and photos, I had a good idea that Common Chuckwallas inhabit rocky areas. While I assumed they would be hiding during the hot midday, I wasn’t sure whether morning or evening would be better for spotting them. I couldn’t find any in this area after all.I ventured out to the Alta Trailhead, but didn’t have much luck finding wildlife. The trail offers a unique valley landscape nestled between mountains on either side, which has its own charm.
