Artikel over de risico's van inburgerende tegu's (
Salvator merianae) voor de inheemse fauna in de VS.
Invasive, Dog-Sized Lizards Pose Threat Across Southeastern U.S.These black-and-white lizards could be the punchline of a joke, except the situation is no laughing matter.
That's because the Argentine black-and-white tegu is an invasive species of dog-sized lizards that scientists worry could pose a threat to endangered species across the Southeast.
The tegus first came to the region as escaped or released pets and began to spread in South Florida more than a decade ago, National Geographic reported. But they are now reaching other states in the region and have been spotted in Georgia, South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana and Alabama.
"The entire southeast portion of the United States is at risk," U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) biologist Amy Yackel Adams told National Geographic. "Much of this area has a climate that is suitable for tegus."
For scientists, the tegus' eating habits are the most concerning aspect as they spread. The lizards, which are native to South America and up to four-feet long, consume everything from eggs and small birds to low-growing fruit. In Venezuela, they are nicknamed lobo pollero, or "the chicken wolf," for their habit of stealing eggs from chicken coops. In the U.S., they could pose an additional hazard to the eggs of threatened or endangered species like the Eastern indigo snake.
Hele artikel lezen:
https://www.ecowatch.com/tegu-lizard-spread-southeast-2649018386.html