Want to know where and when to find Ground Agama? opspoor shows recent sightings across South Africa's parks and when each species is usually active.
Where to see Ground Agama in South Africa
About the Ground Agama
A stocky, ground-living agamid of arid and semi-arid savanna, most easily seen in the Kalahari. It is olive to reddish-brown, sometimes grey or yellowish, with four or five paired darker blotches down the back and a creamy-white to pink belly. It lives on open sandy ground and in dry riverbeds, sheltering in burrows or under low bushes, and basks in the open on bare patches and low mounds. Breeding males develop striking blue on the sides of the head.
How to identify the Ground Agama
Look for a squat, triangular-headed lizard pressed flat on open sand rather than on rocks or tree trunks. The paired dark blotches along the back and the rounded snout separate it from the rock-living agamas; breeding males show blue on the sides of the head.
Did you know?
Unlike most South African agamas, which climb rocks or trees, the Ground Agama spends its life on open sand, relying on its blotched back for camouflage and freezing flat rather than running for cover.
Also known as: Grondkoggelmander, Common Ground Agama
Planning a safari? Pick a park above to see when and where to look for Ground Agama, and log your own sightings in opspoor, even with no signal.