This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The arboreal salamander is a species of salamander that can actually climb trees. They can be found from California down to Baja California. These salamanders face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments, farming, ranching, deforestation, and logging. However, they are still […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The red diamond rattlesnake, aka red rattlesnake or red diamond snake, can be found in southwestern California and Baja California. These pit vipers face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of farming, ranching, residential, and commercial developments; hunting; and trapping. Even through these adversities they are […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The western spotted skunk, like other skunks, has a pair of large musk glands that open just inside the anus, and which can spray their contents through a muscular contraction. These skunks face the threats of vehicle strike (being hit by vehicles); hunting, for their pelts; and trapping, as a […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The white-throated woodrat dwells in the Upper and Lower Sonoran life zones, & seen from pinyon-juniper woodland in higher countrysides to desert habitats at lower elevations. They can be found in Mexico, Baja California, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada. Not facing many threats, sans poisoning and trapping, these […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The arroyo toad is a species of true toad in the family Bufonidae. They are endemic to California, and Baja California state, as well as Mexico. Sadly, these amphibians face many threats such as habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments, farming, ranching, dams, fires, […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The sarcastic fringehead is named for their large mouth and aggressive demeanor. The name fringehead was given due to the ruff of tissue surrounding their neck. These fish can be found from San Fransisco, California down to the Baja California coastline at depths of 9.84 – 239.5 feet. With no […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Perrin’s beaked whale is a shy member of the toothed whale suborder. There are over 20 species of beaked whales recognized to date. These whales face the threats of overfishing and subsequent bycatch (getting caught in gill nets and long lines, which can cause drownings); pollution in the form […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

This article is devoted to one of the world’s smallest known snake species, the southwestern threadsnake. This fossorial (burrowing) snake has many alternate names as well, names like Leptotyphlopidae, leptotyphlopid, wormsnakes, blind snake, brown blind snake, California blind snake, California rena, California worm snake, Cedros island worm snake, sheep-nosed snake, […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Mexican mole lizard, aka Bipes, spends most of its time burrowing in soft soil in Western Mexico and Baja California. These creatures are neither a lizard or a snake. They are in a category all their own. Each of the known species has a different number of digits: 1 […]

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This article was originally published on Critter Science.

The Chuckwalla belongs to the iguana family. As such, they have some of the same cool features as an iggy (iguana). They expel salts through their noses and even have a parietal eye. Chucks can be found in the southwestern regions of North America and in the northern parts of […]

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