In Depth: In China’s West, a Tiny Desert Lizard Makes a Last Stand

1. The long-eared sand lizard is a small, roughly six-inch-long reptile residing in the dunes of China’s Tukai Desert. Renowned for its defensive display, which makes it appear larger to predators, the lizard has been able to thrive for millennia. However, this adaptation offers no defense against rapid habitat destruction from recent human intrusions, such as off-road vehicle tracks and construction projects. These disruptions have led to a dramatic population decline from abundance to near-invisibility in just a decade. [para. 1][para. 2][para. 3]

2. On December 31, 2025, a court in Xinjiang intervened to protect the long-eared sand lizard after an environmental group, Friends of Nature, petitioned for urgent action. The ruling confirmed the lizard's status as a Class I key protected wild animal in China and recognized evidence of its presence within key habitat areas. The court’s injunction prohibits Xinjiang Wopin Huantu Cultural Communication Co. Ltd., the amusement park operator, from continuing activities such as site leveling and construction in areas overlapping core lizard habitat, particularly those used for off-road racing. This legal action is part of a broader campaign by Friends of Nature, which filed a lawsuit in September 2025 seeking an immediate halt to damaging development. The court accepted the case in November. [para. 4][para. 5][para. 6][para. 7][para. 8][para. 9][para. 10]

3. The Tukai Desert, covering about 21,000 acres in the Ili Kazakh autonomous prefecture, holds ecological importance as a “desert within an oasis” and marks the easternmost boundary of the Central Asian desert system. It is the only habitat for the long-eared sand lizard in China, making conservation efforts critical. Most development and biodiversity, and thus disputes, are concentrated in the desert’s northern section, particularly after the designation of the southern segment for photovoltaic (solar power) use. The lizard achieved Class I protection only in 2021, after years of population decline correlated with expanding tourism and solar energy projects. Experts highlight the scientific value of the lizard, which may have evolved through rare hybridization. [para. 11][para. 12][para. 13][para. 14][para. 15]

4. Investment in the Tukai Desert Scenic Area began in 2006, with a major expansion in 2021. The creation of the Joy World amusement park led to the paving of dunes and the excavation of lizard habitats, even during breeding season. Despite local authorities ordering a halt and habitat restoration in April 2024, on-the-ground reports and site visits from Friends of Nature revealed continuing illegal activity, new track construction, and evidence of off-road races damaging the area throughout the rest of 2024. [para. 16][para. 17][para. 18][para. 19][para. 20][para. 21][para. 22][para. 23]

5. Friends of Nature’s September 2025 lawsuit sought to stop all ecologically harmful activities, install protective infrastructure, and restore habitats. Evidence showed ongoing races and severe damage following the original violation. The intervention resulted in positive steps: authorities placed fences and signage, while the company began consulting on restoration efforts. [para. 24][para. 25][para. 26]

6. The lizard population has dramatically declined: from regular sightings and a robust population in the 1980s-2010s, surveys in 2025 found only 5-12 individuals, exclusively in the north. The loss and fragmentation of habitat—caused by amusement park construction, solar farms altering dune environments, climate change, and increased grazing—are cited as primary drivers of this collapse. The solar farm alone grew to nearly 4 square kilometers by 2024, contributing to inhospitable conditions for the lizard. [para. 27][para. 28][para. 29][para. 30][para. 31]

7. A new threat looms in the planned relocation of Yining Airport to the Tukai Desert. The new facility, covering about 684 acres, could further endanger habitat, though surveys in 2025 found no lizards in the immediate area. Construction of supporting infrastructure, such as expressways, continues, but environmental approvals stipulate work must halt if endangered species are found. Other local reptiles, including the Ili wonder gecko, also face mounting risks from habitat degradation. It remains uncertain if the airport project will proceed in light of wildlife protection laws. [para. 32][para. 33][para. 34][para. 35][para. 36][para. 37]

8. Conservation experts advocate for establishing a formal nature reserve spanning both north and south Tukai Desert, with strict protections and the area designated as an important national wildlife habitat. While some suggest relocating the lizards, experts warn this is unlikely to succeed due to the species’ specific habitat needs. The case of the long-eared sand lizard exemplifies the challenges small, lesser-known species face in garnering attention and protection compared to more charismatic megafauna, underscoring the broader crisis facing biodiversity in rapidly developing landscapes. [para. 38][para. 39][para. 40][para. 41][para. 42][para. 43]