Borneo Forest Dragon
Gonocephalus bornensis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyAgamidae (Dragons)
- GenusGonocephalus
- SpeciesGonocephalus bornensis (Borneo Forest Dragon)
About the Borneo Forest Dragon
Gonocephalus bornensis, the Borneo anglehead lizard or Borneo forest dragon, is an agamid lizard endemic to Borneo in Indonesia and Malaysia, and known from Sabah, Kinabalu, Brunei, Sarawak and Kalimantan. Moderately long (SVL up to 136 mm). Males generally larger than females (SVL= 118-136 vs. 90–130 mm; Tail Length=261-310 vs. 215–275 mm). Circular border on supercilium. Tympanum rather small. Weakly granular dorsum with a prominent lanceolate crest starting on neck and terminating on lower back. Tail is almost cylindrical.
Sub-adult males are generally brown, olive and green on dorsum with laterals, often with dark reticulations. Adult males are predominantly green with indistinct reticulation. Iris deep brown or light blue. Females rust red dorsolaterally with oval spots formed from reticulations on the sides of body.
Is endemic to Borneo. Found commonly in Mount Kinabalu, Poring Hot Spring in Sabah, also found in Brunei, Sarawak and Kalimantan. Found in primary and secondary rainforests up to 700 m (2,300 ft) a.s.l. Arboreal in habit, they live in tree trunks and on lianas often near streams. They deposit... Wikipedia →
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danum Valley Conservation Area | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Kinabalu Park | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 3 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Borneo Forest Dragon in Sepilok?
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Borneo Forest Dragon sighting in Sepilok, based on 59 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Borneo Forest Dragon in Sepilok?
January has the highest sighting rate for Borneo Forest Dragon in Sepilok in our monthly data.