REPRODUCTION OF THE BLUNT-NOSED LEOPARD LIZARD (GAMBELIA SILA) AT FRESNO CHAFFEE ZOO

Steve Sharp; The Fresno Chaffee Zoo; mhalvorsen@fresnochaffeezoo.org; Mark Halvorsen, Lyn Myers, Rory Telemeco

The Blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia sila) is an endangered and charismatic lizard species native to California’s Central Valley. In partnership with The Bureau of Land Management and the Telemeco Reptile Ecology and Evolution lab at California State University, Fresno, emergency permission was granted to collect five adult G.sila (two male and three female) from the Panoche Hills plateau. This colony was taken to Fresno Chaffee Zoo to form the first captive assurance colony of G.sila. These five individuals at the time were thought to be the remainder of the Panoche hills plateau population. The lizards were subsequently acclimated to human care and taken through an artificial brumation cycle with the goal of breeding the group in the spring of 2021. Over the spring and summer of 2021, the group was successfully reproduced at FCZ resulting in 20 offspring (10 male and 10 female). This event represents the first time G.sila has ever reproduced in human care.

Blunt-Nosed Leopard Lizard Captive Breeding Program  InPerson Presentation