One of the cutest animals on the planet that you rarely see [View all]

[MineralMan]

Phrynosoma coronatum - The California Coast Horned Lizard was my childhood favorite critter. Back when I was closer to the ground, I used to encounter these charming little creatures frequently. When you picked one up, it would quickly sense the warmth of your hand and just sit quietly there and let you get a close look at it. If you put it on your shirt, it would happily go with you wherever you wished, and wouldn't try to escape. They never bite and seem just fine with small children handling them.

Once I became an adult human, I saw these friendly reptiles less and less often, and wondered if they were endangered or heading for extinction. I discovered that they're not. It's just that adults aren't close enough to the ground to notice them as often as when we were children. More's the pity. I did see one when I visited my parents' home last year, and found that they still behave much the same, even if an adult human picks them up. I was pleased to know that my little friends are still around and, ostensibly, still amusing California children as they have always done.