Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/invasive-lizard-tegu-spreading-across-us/

The southeast region of the US has seen the invasion of a lizard species that is having a negative impact on the local native wildlife and ecosystems.

As the National Geographic has reported, the states of Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama, have been plagued by the black-and-white Argentine tegu. This lizard species is originally from South America, but they’ve been wreaking havoc in the southeast after they were bred in southern Florida.

A biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, Amy Yackel Adams, reported to National Geographic that the tegu had first made its way into the US after being brought over as pets. But then, some either escaped or were released into the surrounding natural habitats, which happen to be very suitable for the tegu. That led to the tegu having a very prolific spread across the southeastern US and it has been detrimental to the native endangered species in the area.

As Adams has shared, the tegu is a species that prosper when living in upland forests and grasslands where there is a lot of rainfall. Because of the climate change occurring, Adams has cautioned that tropical and subtropical zones are beginning to shift more north, meaning that there is much more likelihood of these animals invading even more land.

Tegus are able to grow up to 4 feet in length, and they’re omnivores who will consume anything from bird eggs, birds, strawberries, vegetables, or even sea turtles! Because of their dietary habits, these lizards are a real threat to wildlife.

As herpetologist Andrew Grosse warned, “Tegus mature and reproduce quickly, though most concerning may be their preference for eggs and the potential impacts to our native ground-nesting birds like turkey and quail, as well as other species such as the state-endangered gopher tortoise.”

In an effort to stop the tegu from invading, some states have implemented trapping techniques in order to control the populations while they search for a solution. Daniel Sollenberger, a herpetologist for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources shared with National Geographic that they had been trapping tegus for several years now, and on average see around a dozen or half a dozen trapped on an annual basis. Because of how many tegus they trap, the Georgia Reptile Society specially created the Tegu Task Force to help locate and trap them amongst the community.

Justyne Lobello, the president of the Georgia Reptile Society, shared with National Geographic that they don’t euthanize any of the tegus that get trapped. Instead, they try their best to re-home them. That way, they are not causing an upset in the natural ecosystem, but at the same time, they’re being treated with the respect they deserve as living beings. Lobello added, “It helps that we have a long waiting list of people who want one as a pet.”

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog