Los Angeles museum launches backyard lizard census

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is conducting a hunt for the “Lost Lizards of Los Angeles," which they describe as “an unusual wildlife safari” to be conducted in backyards across the county.

Although the lizard census doesn’t officially start until late spring, a group of about 20 local amphibian experts gathered at Exposition Park in south Los Angeles on a salamander hunt, according to Brian Brown, curator of entomology at the Natural History Museum.

This isn’t the first time the hunt has been on for lizards in Los Angeles County. One search was conducted 76 years ago and included investigation into the possible existence of the legendary "Lizard People," who were believed to have lived in tunnels underground LA.

Scientists believe there are roughly 4,675 lizard species worldwide, but how many reside in Southern California is an unknown.

To date, there is no record of lizards having been found in Exposition Park, Brown said, and the question for scientists is “why?” The hope is the Lost Lizard hunt may answer that question, as well as come up with some unaccounted for species, which Brown said there is a good chance of happening.

"The chance of finding a new species here is the same as in a rain forest. Our own backyards in some way are just as unknown as some remote jungle," Brown told the LA Times. 

If there are new species, Brown and others think there is a good chance that any lizards new to the area or new breeds will be unearthed by the volunteers who are conducting the lizard census.

Previous surveys conducted by the museum included a search for flies in the Santa Monica Mountains and a spider hunt in residential areas across Los Angeles.