Gran Canaria Giant Lizard
CR

Gran Canaria Giant Lizard

Gallotia stehlini

DecliningLCEU

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

The Gran Canaria giant lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is found in the Canary Islands.

Gallotia stehlini faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and tourism infrastructure expansion across its limited range in the Canary Islands. Introduced predators, particularly cats and rats, pose significant predation pressure on eggs, juveniles, and adults. Competition with invasive species for food resources and nesting sites further compounds population decline pressures.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic Canary Islands lizard inhabits rocky coastal areas, stone walls, and dry scrubland environments with sparse vegetation. It shows preference for areas with abundant rock crevices and loose stone structures that provide shelter and basking sites.

Shrubland· majorRocky areas· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recoveryLegislation

Other threatened species in LACERTIDAE

EN

Ibiza Wall Lizard

Podarcis pityusensis

Declining
VU

Leopard Fringe-fingered Lizard

Acanthodactylus pardalis

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EN

Savigny's Fringe-fingered Lizard

Acanthodactylus savignyi

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Sikkim Grass Lizard

Takydromus sikkimensis

Unknown

Threatened in Spain

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Lepiota echinella

Unknown
VU

Copper Shark

Carcharhinus brachyurus

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EN

Lyophyllum deliberatum

Unknown
VU

Hemicycla invernicata

Stable

Frequently asked questions

Why is Gran Canaria Giant Lizard classified as Critically Endangered?
Gran Canaria Giant Lizard is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Gallotia stehlini faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and tourism infrastructure expansion across its limited range in the Canary Islands. Introduced predators, particularly cats and rats, pose significant predation pressure on eggs, juveniles, and adults. Competition with invasive species for food resources and nesting sites further compounds population decline pressures.
Where does Gran Canaria Giant Lizard live?
Gran Canaria Giant Lizard occurs in Spain. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Gran Canaria Giant Lizard?
The main threats to Gran Canaria Giant Lizard are 11.1, 8.1, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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