Common name: Egyptian Spiny-tailed Lizard
Scientific name: Uromastyx aegyptia
Family: Agamidae

Size:
Total length: 60–75 cm
Weight: 1–2 kg

Identification:
A large, robust lizard with a thick body and a distinctive, heavily spined tail used for defense. Coloration varies from sandy beige to yellowish or grey, often matching its desert surroundings. The head is broad with a blunt snout, and the limbs are strong, adapted for digging. The tail is short relative to body length but heavily armored with sharp, ringed spines.

Habitat:
Deserts and semi-deserts, including sandy plains, gravel deserts, and open arid landscapes. Often found in areas with firm soil suitable for burrowing.

Status in the UAE:
Native but declining. Once common, now reduced in many areas due to hunting and habitat disturbance.

Diet:
Primarily herbivorous — feeds on leaves, grasses, seeds, and desert vegetation. Occasionally consumes insects.

Behavior:
Diurnal and highly adapted to desert life. Spends much of its time basking near burrow entrances. Uses burrows for shelter from extreme temperatures and predators. When threatened, it retreats quickly and may use its spiny tail defensively. Generally slow-moving but capable of sudden bursts of speed.

Conservation status:
Vulnerable (IUCN Red List)