Invasive lizards are on the loose in Georgia, South Carolina
GREENVILLE, S.C. - A giant invasive lizard that’s been found in various places in Georgia is now showing up in South Carolina.
The South American tegu is a black and white or red lizard that can grow up to 4 feet long and weigh 10 pounds.
They often have been turned loose in the wild by owners who bought them as pets but didn’t realize how big they’d grow.
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The lizards eat other reptiles and the eggs of ground-nesting birds like turkeys and quail. They also carry salmonella.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources says there have been more than 100 sightings.
The agency has confirmed 24 black and white tegus across 13 different counties, pluss red tegus in two counties.
South Carolina DNR said if you see a tegu lizard in the wild, report it using this form. Photos are required for a sighting to be officially confirmed.
WHAT IS A TEGU?
- The Argentine black and white tegu is a South American reptile popular in the pet trade. Yet through escapes and releases, these lizards that can reach 4 feet long have established populations in the wild in Florida and one in southeast Georgia. The grace period for owners to tag their animals with a ive integrated transponder tag and then them with the state ends at midnight Dec. 3. Visit https://georgiawildlife.com/Reptile-Tagging-FAQ for a guide to tagging and ing pet reptiles.
Across the Savannah River in Georgia, tegus have been an issue for some time.
A giant South American lizard isn’t what you expect to find in the two-state region.
“I could imagine that some people would run for the hills,” said Kathy Smith with the Georgia Herpetological Association and Rescue.
“A lot of them are being put up for adoption, and we’re finding that a lot of people are releasing them, which is not a good thing,” Smith said.
They’re legal to own with stipulations in Georgia. They must be ed with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, microchipped, and can’t be used for breeding.
When they’re caught, they’re brought to Smith in Rockmart, south of Rome.
“So, we take them in, work with them, and find the right home for them,” Smith said.
If you see one or think you have one roaming your property, don’t mess with it.
“The wrong thing to do would be to go up to it and catch it,” Smith said.
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