INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
There are no current estimates of wild populations of Tegus in the United States (Reuters)Austin, Texas: A group of South American lizards
that can grow up to four feet long (1.2 meters) has established a home in the Florida wild after being brought to the United States as pets,
and the reptiles could begin a voracious march across the US South, according to a new study.Tegu lizards, which currently live in two large
colonies in Florida, could expand into an area from the Carolinas to Central Texas, according to the scientific report published in July on
the website for the journal Nature."They are voracious, omnivorous predatory lizards that can live in a variety of habitats, but we can't
know what is going to happen or how intense this invasion is going to become until the effects are upon us," said Lee Fitzgerald, a
professor at Texas AM University and curator of its Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections.Fitzgerald, a co-author of the study,
said in an interview this week it could take years for the Tegu lizards to reach their potential range, but new hot spots pop up as more pet
lizards escape or are dumped in the wild by owners.There are no current estimates of wild populations of Tegus in the United States
In South America, the large-bodied lizards range widely east of the Andes and include species such as the Argentine black and white
Tegu.Armed with strong jaws and tails that they can wield as thumping weapons, the lizards in Florida devour the eggs of American alligators
and ground-nesting birds, wildlife officials said
The reptiles also have a taste for insects, fruit and birds."As far as being a damaging invasive species, it really depends on what the
threatened resources are in the areas where you might get tegus," said Robert Reed, chief of the Invasive Species Science Branch at the U.S
Geological Survey, and another report co-author.Tegu owners describe their pets as big, calm and occasionally affectionate lizards that like
sunning themselves and are not picky about what they eat
But they can also be ornery and tough to handle.In Florida, local wild populations of breeding tegu lizards are found in at least two
counties, Miami-Dade and Hillsborough, home to Tampa, while there have been sightings in other parts of the state, according to the Florida
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.On private lands, Florida hunters without a license are allowed to kill tegu lizards if it is done
On public lands, the state is trying to get rid of the lizards through traps."The most important thing that the public can do to stop the
spread of nonnative species like tegus is to NEVER release nonnative animals into the wild," commission specialist Jamie Rager said in an
"Don't let it loose."© Thomson Reuters 2018
