Fears grow over invasion of 'unusually brainy' dog-sized lizards 'that eat everything in sight'

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Fears grow over invasion of 'unusually brainy' dog-sized lizards 'that eat everything in sight'

Daily Mail
By JAMES CIRRONE
14 December 2024

The invasion of a lizard species that is the size of a dog has sparked concern as it wreaks havoc on ecosystems across the South.

Central to experts' fears is the fact the roughly five-foot-long Argentine black and white tegu eats 'truly anything,' University of Florida wildlife professor Frank Mazzotti told The Palm Beach Post.

They devour quail, chicken, turtle and even alligator eggs as well as turkeys, gopher tortoises and ground-nesting birds. They also feast on gopher fruit, vegetables, plants and pet food.

This insatiable appetite poses a threat to native wildlife, and now the beast has spread to more states, including Florida, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and even Maryland.

'Because they can live in many more places and eat everything, there is not going to be a whole lot to stop them,' Mazzotti warned.

It is not known precisely how many of these highly intelligent creatures are currently in the United States, but there have been nearly 10,000 sightings since 2002, according to a database created by the University of Georgia's Center of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.

The vast majority of reports were in Florida, specifically in the Southern Glades Wildlife and Environmental Area, which is south of Miami. There was one sighting in Maryland and five in Texas.

(more)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14183289/invasion-dog-sized-lizards-eat-sight.html

[roamer_1]

Wait till the Cajuns find out. The new recipes will break the internet. 

[240B]

Wait till the Cajuns find out. The new recipes will break the internet. 

Because they can live in many more places and eat everything, there is not going to be a whole lot to stop them.

Yep, that is the definition of a Cajun.

[libertybele]

Great!