Georgia going to the...

KarenSoCal

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@Chubbs the tegu
@Toddrickfl1

Thought of you guys...

Four-foot-long invasive lizards are threatening Georgia wildlife
NEWS GEORGIA, UNITED STATES

giant-invasive-lizard-with-its-tongue-sticking-out-560x420.jpg

Photo: Rafael Cuto/Shutterstock
Eben Diskin
May 14, 2020






WE ALREADY HAVE coronavirus and murder hornets, so it makes sense than 2020 is throwing some four-foot-long lizards into the mix.

Apparently, Argentine black and white tegu lizards are spreading in Georgia and pose a significant threat to native wildlife. The lizards can grow up to four feet long, weigh over 10 pounds, and have a worryingly wide-ranging diet.
While the lizards don’t pose a threat to people or household pets, they do eat fruit, vegetables, plants, pet food, bird and reptile eggs, and small animals like grasshoppers and young gopher tortoises. According to John Jensen from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the lizards are known to displace animals by attacking their burrows, especially those of the gopher tortoise, a reptile that is protected in the state of Georgia.
Daniel Sollenberger, a senior wildlife biologist with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Conservation Section told Insider, “Tegus are predators that do not belong here. We’re asking residents in the area to report them, which helps us assess the problem and remove tegus. It also helps if they can provide photos. People unfamiliar with tegus might mistake native animals such as juvenile alligators and even fence lizards with these invasive reptiles.”
The Argentine lizards are native to Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina, but they have become a problematic invasive species both in Florida and in the Toombs and Tattnall counties in southeast Georgia. To prevent the spread of the species and protect the native wildlife, officials are hoping to eradicate the lizards by trapping and humanely euthanizing them. The DNR is asking residents to report any lizard sightings to the agency.
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Toddrickfl1

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Ya they've been reporting this here. I know they have them in Florida already, if they can survive colder temps it's only a matter of time before they got here.
 

Tom

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Ya they've been reporting this here. I know they have them in Florida already, if they can survive colder temps it's only a matter of time before they got here.
I used to hibernate mine every year. They burrow to avoid the temperature extremes. Cold temps are no problem for them. It snows in the area where these were originally collected and imported from, and Bert Langerwerf had them living and breeding outside in Alabama. Mine lived outside here for years with many below freezing winter nights.
 

KarenSoCal

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I used to hibernate mine every year. They burrow to avoid the temperature extremes. Cold temps are no problem for them. It snows in the area where these were originally collected and imported from, and Bert Langerwerf had them living and breeding outside in Alabama. Mine lived outside here for years with many below freezing winter nights.
I PM'ed you last week...no rush! Checking to see if you got it.
 

wellington

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If they can survive freezing temps they should come here. I would love to have lizards in the wild.
I'd also like to own a tegu.
 

turtlesteve

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That’s not far from me. I guess it’s time to form a posse and go catch a couple. With appropriate social distancing of course... We can’t let the DNR have all the fun now can we?
 

Toddrickfl1

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That’s not far from me. I guess it’s time to form a posse and go catch a couple. With appropriate social distancing of course... We can’t let the DNR have all the fun now can we?
Count me in
 

KarenSoCal

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If they can survive freezing temps they should come here. I would love to have lizards in the wild.
I'd also like to own a tegu.
I like wild lizards, but I think 4' might be a bit much.

I can just see it now...the cooper's hawk dives from the sky, digs his claws in, makes a perfect arc, and starts to lift...man! that dinner is BIG!
 

wellington

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I like wild lizards, but I think 4' might be a bit much.

I can just see it now...the cooper's hawk dives from the sky, digs his claws in, makes a perfect arc, and starts to lift...man! that dinner is BIG!
That's one of the things I really like about them, the size. Except it makes it harder for me to have one with the winters. If I had another unused room to dedicate to it, I'd have one.
 
L

LasTortugasNinja

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I've had a dwarf tegu. Always wanted an argentine but never got one. I'm more of an Monitor man, but I hate to see perfectly beautiful animals put down just for existing. Babies should be rehomed to responsible owners and adults given to zoos or gardens. Euthanizing should be a last resort.
 
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