The Argentine black and white tegu, a large invasive lizard, appears to be making quite a home for itself in St. Lucie County in Florida's Treasure Coast region.
"Reproducing populations of Argentine black and white tegus are established in Hillsborough and Miami-Dade and Charlotte Counties," Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) spokesperson Lisa Thompson sent to The Floridian. "An emerging population was more recently discovered in St. Lucie County in 2016 after several confirmed reports were received through the FWC's Invasive Species Hotline."
According to an online species map tracker, the Argentine black and white tegu has been heavily spotted or captured more than 1500 times in St. Lucie County, especially west of Fort Pierce.
Interestingly enough, no other captures of the lizard come even close to the hot spot in the area. Only a handful of captures were reported around Florida's Treasure Coast, which includes Martin and Indian River counties.
According to the FWC, the hot spot could have occurred due to accidental tegu escapes or intentional releases of captive animals. Although the one near Fort Pierce might be more of a breeding ground than one being let out of its cage or flushed down the toilet.
The Argentine black and white tegu is considered invasive to Florida, meaning the lizard does not belong in its habitat. The lizard is in the same category as the notorious Burmese python or the familiar green iguana.
While now in Florida, the tegu's natural habitat is in South America, particularly Brazil, Paraguay, eastern Uruguay and northern Argentina. The lizard can reach five feet in length and has a mottled black and white coloration that is often arranged into a banding pattern across the back and tail.
"Tegus are a prohibited species in Florida and are a high priority nonnative species for removal efforts due to their potential impacts on native wildlife. Tegus can compete with and prey upon native wildlife, including imperiled and protected species," Thompson said.
The lizard eats fruits, eggs, insects, and small animals including reptiles and rodents.
While a bit larger than the GEICO Gecko, tegus are not protected in Florida and can be killed humanely on private property with landowner permission. The lizard also can be captured and humanely killed year-round and without a permit or hunting license on 32 Commission managed lands in South Florida.
The FWC is also trying its best to control the lizard's spread.
"The FWC works collaboratively with external agencies and partners to assess the threat of this species and further develop management strategies. The FWC removes tegus from the environment with targeted trapping and works to capture and remove this species from the wild," Thompson added.
Photo credit provided with permission: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
