Ornate Uromastyx

Uromastyx ornata

A colorful, plant-eating Middle Eastern lizard with a spiky tail that it uses to block its burrow.

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About the Ornate Uromastyx

Ornate uromastyx grow up to 14 inches long and weigh about 10 ounces, with wide, flat bodies and 10 to 30 rings of spiky scales on the tail. Males can be green, blue, red and brown, while females are beige or light brown. They live only in the Middle East, in Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, in deserts, grasslands and rocky places, and eat leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Uromastyx ornata^[1]
Size: Up to 14 inches long.^[1]
Weight: About 10 ounces.^[1]
Lifespan: About 20 years.^[1]
Diet: Herbivore. Leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds.^[1]
Habitat: Deserts, grasslands, shrubland and rocky areas.^[1]
Where it lives: Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.^[1]
Group life: Solitary. Active during the day.^[1]
Babies: About 6 or 7 eggs.^[1]
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2012).^[2]

Fun facts

Uromastyx sneeze out extra salt through their noses.^[1]
They plug their burrows with their spiky tails.^[1]
Males are much more colorful than females.^[1]

Vocabulary

herbivore: An animal that eats only plants.
brumation: A sleepy, inactive period that reptiles go through in cold weather, a bit like hibernation.
arid: Very dry, with little rain.
endemic: Found naturally in only one place in the world.
least concern: A conservation label meaning a species is widespread and not at risk of dying out soon.

See it in person

Oakland ZooOakland, California · Animal AmbassadorsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Oakland Zoo. “Ornate Uromastyx.” https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/ornate-uromastyx/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Uromastyx ornata (Ornate Mastigure).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/198538/2531743 (accessed 2026-10-02)