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RandySF

(58,750 posts)
Fri May 15, 2020, 02:57 AM May 2020

Georgia officials warn of 4-foot-long invasive lizards that eat 'anything they want'

Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is warning residents that an invasive species of giant lizards has established in the state, posing a threat to wildlife and crops because they eat “anything they want.”

Officials said that they’re working to eradicate the spread of Argentine black and white tegus. The lizards can grow to four feet long and weigh upward of 10 pounds, making it easily mistaken for a baby alligator.

DNR biologist John Jensen said in a video earlier this month that the lizards “eat just about anything they want,” including both plants and small animals.

“One of their favorite foods is eggs from ground-nesting animals such as gopher tortoise — our protected state reptile. Birds, including turkeys and quail.”






https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/497808-georgia-officials-warn-of-4-foot-long-invasive-lizards-that-eat-anything

33 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Georgia officials warn of 4-foot-long invasive lizards that eat 'anything they want' (Original Post) RandySF May 2020 OP
This is not how I imagined the apocalypse. milestogo May 2020 #1
To whoever is playing Jumaji, please find a way to end the game. sakabatou May 2020 #2
2020 ain't fuckin around. hardluck May 2020 #3
I know, right? Jamastiene May 2020 #14
We already got Godzilla in April, and it's a pretty cool version ... dawg May 2020 #24
LOL! n/t EndlessWire May 2020 #26
How are they with murder hornets and Grotesque Orange Pustules? Hermit-The-Prog May 2020 #4
The Asian Giant Hornet found in Amerca was dead already. Jamastiene May 2020 #13
They found and destroyed a nest last fall NickB79 May 2020 #33
It's never ending! StarryNite May 2020 #5
Izzit sporting an orange wighat and also has tiny hands? sprinkleeninow May 2020 #6
Ok, you made me bdjhawk May 2020 #12
Wighat...🤣🤣 dewsgirl May 2020 #18
:) Esquire: "Can We Train These Things to Eat the Murder Hornets?" Hortensis May 2020 #7
yuk JI7 May 2020 #8
I saw huge pit bull today LeftInTX May 2020 #9
K&R! SheltieLover May 2020 #10
Oh hell, tegus are no joke. Jamastiene May 2020 #11
"feces flinging monkeys" already got'em mitch96 May 2020 #23
Please, someone tell the lizards that Governor Kemp is super tasty. SunSeeker May 2020 #15
Murder Lizards! smirkymonkey May 2020 #16
+1 dalton99a May 2020 #19
Sometimes those Georgia lizards get even bigger than 4 feet DFW May 2020 #17
Lizard tail on the grill, Bubba, fresh meat! They won't last long in GA Baclava May 2020 #20
Murder lizard close-up dalton99a May 2020 #21
Let's put them lizards in the smoke house, right next to the 'gators...* abqtommy May 2020 #22
So I want to know when these gun toting red neck hunters are gonna go out and mitch96 May 2020 #25
Anything? Do they eat murder hornets? tinrobot May 2020 #27
They sound republican lame54 May 2020 #28
Ugh. The snecks (sic) are bad enough. Politicub May 2020 #29
Do they eat people? Renew Deal May 2020 #30
Nothing new. Newt Gingrich has been around forever. yellowcanine May 2020 #31
"4-foot-long invasive lizards that eat 'anything they want'" yortsed snacilbuper May 2020 #32

Jamastiene

(38,187 posts)
14. I know, right?
Fri May 15, 2020, 03:57 AM
May 2020

I saw a meme that said Godzilla was coming in June. No one mentioned the tegus in May.

Jamastiene

(38,187 posts)
13. The Asian Giant Hornet found in Amerca was dead already.
Fri May 15, 2020, 03:56 AM
May 2020

They won't really be a threat.

Maybe it wouldn't hurt us to concentrate our efforts on the Gortesque Orange Pustule. They really DO need to go. He is a much larger threat. Just a suggestion.

I wish I could train fire ants. I could make the south blue.

NickB79

(19,233 posts)
33. They found and destroyed a nest last fall
Fri May 15, 2020, 04:59 PM
May 2020

But the drones they found this spring were DNA tested and found to have come from a second, unknown queen.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
7. :) Esquire: "Can We Train These Things to Eat the Murder Hornets?"
Fri May 15, 2020, 03:26 AM
May 2020

Lol, not how I imagined the apocalypse either.

They've actually been wild in Florida for a while, presumably due to release of "pets" who get too big for the aquarium, though we've never seen any. The only big reptiles where we live are alligators, and of course 4 footers are rather cute little things. Comparatively.

LeftInTX

(25,229 posts)
9. I saw huge pit bull today
Fri May 15, 2020, 03:45 AM
May 2020

And he was a bull cuz he had balls. (Guess he doesn't believe in controlling the pet population...dog is probably a stud)

Owner is walking him and says hi. I glance and say hi back.
Owner and dog acted like he wanted to stop and hang around. I just ignored them. They slowly left.

Jamastiene

(38,187 posts)
11. Oh hell, tegus are no joke.
Fri May 15, 2020, 03:54 AM
May 2020

I wonder how long before all of Florida's invasives escape into the rest of the south. I've been waiting to see anacondas, cobras, pythons and feces flinging monkeys escape Florida's borders.

Tegus have been known to chase Florida Man. That is how badass they are.

I'm joking. Don't mess with them and they won't mess with you. If you mess with them though, look out.

mitch96

(13,890 posts)
23. "feces flinging monkeys" already got'em
Fri May 15, 2020, 09:14 AM
May 2020

When I first moved down to SoFla there was a news report of a bunch of monkey attacked a man who ran over one of 'em.. He made the mistake of getting out of the car to see what he hit and the other monkeys attacked him. There was a large open area just south of the Ft Lauderdale airport that had a group of released/escaped monkeys living there. They are all gone now but it was just "another day" in So Fla..
m

DFW

(54,338 posts)
17. Sometimes those Georgia lizards get even bigger than 4 feet
Fri May 15, 2020, 05:54 AM
May 2020

The one that's posing as their governor is close to six feet, for example.

abqtommy

(14,118 posts)
22. Let's put them lizards in the smoke house, right next to the 'gators...*
Fri May 15, 2020, 09:13 AM
May 2020

* movie Free State Of Jones

mitch96

(13,890 posts)
25. So I want to know when these gun toting red neck hunters are gonna go out and
Fri May 15, 2020, 09:16 AM
May 2020

"take care of 'em".... Like the snakes in the glades and the feral hogs in the south... yup..
m

Politicub

(12,165 posts)
29. Ugh. The snecks (sic) are bad enough.
Fri May 15, 2020, 11:12 AM
May 2020

Now, four-foot lizards? Put them on a two foot leash and then they can help you reinforce your social distancing.

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