Cope's arboreal alligator lizard of the pet trade. Cope's arboreal alligator lizard, also known as "Abronia aurita", is a species of alligator lizard found only in roughly 400 square kilometers of Guatemala. Specifically, the only suitable habitat for this species is between 2,000 and 2,600 feet above sea level on the west and south sides of Sierra de Xucaneb in the Department of Alta Verapaz. These species are considered arboreal, meaning they live in trees. They prefer to make their homes in the trunks of decaying, large trees, found in Oak or Pine forests. High tree density is considered optimal for these creatures as
Cope's arboreal alligator lizard diet, but can begin consuming the same material as their adult counterparts. The major threat to biodiversity for the Cope's arboreal alligator lizard is determined by the IUCN Red List to be the destruction of their habitat. Degradation and fragmentation of their suitable habitat has occurred as a side effect from construction, agricultural formation, and coal mining, as these activities require deforestation in these areas. These lizards are also frequently used in the pet trade, taking them from their native habitats and distributing them around the globe, which also depletes their native population sizes. Their native geographic range in Guatemala