Whilst birdwatching the
Raydah Escarpment area of Abha I came across an Anderson’s Rock Agama Acanthocercus adramitanus on the side of the road. Anderson’s Rock Agama is endemic to the Arabian Peninsula, where it
occurs in western and southern Arabia, from Taif in the north to the Yemen
boarder. They occur up to an altitude of around 2,000 metres above sea level
and are a rock dwelling lizard, mainly present in mountainous areas such as the
Mount Souda area of Abha. Populations can be found on vertical rocks, rock
steps and amongst boulders, where they mainly frequent large boulders in the
vicinity of water. They are often in precipitous wadis surrounded by dense
vegetation but are also often found around human habitation. They do not
however require water, obtaining moisture from their insect prey.
