# Negative Tegu Article



## slideaboot (Nov 19, 2010)

This IS NOT good for us Tegu-lovers. First it was the pythons...we all saw how hard they came after them. This article states that tegus are a WORSE problem than pythons--NOT GOOD for us.

THE FREE PRESS (Key West, Florida) 17 November 10 Meat-eating lizard is latest threat to native species (Steve Gibbs) 
Key Largo: A steady invasion of meat-eating Argentine lizards, like aliens from a science fiction movie, is threatening to alter the natural order in South Florida. 
The giant black and white tegu (Tupinambus merianae), which resembles the monitor lizard, joins a host of former exotic pets that have been dumped into the South Florida wilds by their owners. 
Like the Burmese python which has thrived in the Everglades, the predatory tegus eat small animals that are a food source for native snakes, raptors and other animals. Because they have no natural predators, other than man, these invasive species can out-compete natives and therefore threaten their existence. 
More than 50 of these lizards have already been captured in Miami-Dade County and some have been collared to track their movement patterns. A few were found in South Dade crossing through animal culverts under the 18-Mile Stretch. 
Local wildlife officials fear the tegus, which can grow to 4 feet in length, will soon invade the Keys and threaten endangered species that live in the subtropical hardwood hammocks of North Key Largo. 
"These are more of a concern than the Burmese python," said Steve Klett, manager of the Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge. "They climb trees. That means more critters are vulnerable. They eat any flesh ... as well as fruits and vegetables." 
Klett is particularly concerned about tegus targeting the eggs of the endangered North American crocodile and small indigenous mammals such as the Key Largo woodrat and cotton mouse. 
Fewer than 500 woodrats live almost exclusively in the refuge on County Road 905 between the Overseas Highway and Card Sound Road. 
Since the tegu lizard is able to swim in salt water, the refuge would be on the front line of any invasion. 
But to date, rural southwest Florida City has been "ground zero" for the tegu, according to Tony Pernas, regional invasive species coordinator for the National Park Service. 
"They hibernate this time of year and we know they are just south of the Robert Is Here fruit and vegetable stand in Florida City, and have established themselves all the way down to the [Homestead Correctional Institution] prison," Pernas said. "When the weather changes and it begins to dry out and get warmer about March, we expect to see them on the move again." 
Everglades National Park is just a few miles west of the prison. 
Robert Moehling, 45-year owner of Robert Is Here, said he recently found a dead tegu near his home. 
"Dogs apparently got to it," he said. "It was about three feet long." 
Just south of Moehling's S.W. 192 Ave. market, Everglades Outpost Manager Desiree Dow has seen the lizards on her property. 
"There are red tegus and black and white tegus," she said. "People have let them loose and a bunch of them are running around wild. When we catch one we cage it, but they are harmless [to humans]. They don't bite." 
Larry Perez, science communications officer for Everglades National Park, is urging anyone who spots a tegu or other invasive species, such as Gambian pouch rats and pythons, to immediately call (888) IVE-Got1 or go online to IVEGOT1.org.
Meat-eating lizard is latest threat to native species


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2010)

Lets go out and catch some babies !!!


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## slideaboot (Nov 19, 2010)

The LAST thing we need is for people to be finding babies. That indicates that the tegus are establishing themselves and thriving--NOT what we want to happen. That's just more fuel for the folks that are trying to take away our right to keep these fantastic creatures.


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## Guest (Nov 19, 2010)

Oh no ): I hate owners that give others a bad name and ruine it for everyone! If you get an animal, take care of it or get rid of it properally. Its hurting the rest of us. I have a hedgehog, and even THEIR banned in georgia and some other states because they can thrive in warmer states. I hope they dont get to the point where they need to illegalize them.


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## chelvis (Nov 19, 2010)

wow so many things wrong with this artical to start with. One adult tegus do not like to nor have they been documented to climb trees they are terrestrial and perfer burrows to tree tops. Second tegus are ok swimmers but i would not say they are strong swimmers, ie able to cross an inlet or bay or ocean with any current, a tegu would most likly drown. 

It seems to me that some author might have confused the tegu with other large lizards found in the keys. I mean last year it was the invasion of the water monitor, the python hasn't spread as wide as they thought. As for the fear of the woodrats, they have much bigger problems than tegus, gabian giant rats for one push them out much faster than a tegu population. And crocodiles and tegus inhabbit the same areas in south america and can co-excist. 

Just anouther anti-reptile campain that has all the facts wrong and its sad.


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## Toby_H (Nov 19, 2010)

THE FREE PRESS said:


> these invasive species can out-compete natives and therefore threaten their existence.



I think we have to give them credit on this one...





THE FREE PRESS said:


> Because they have no natural predators, other than man, these invasive species...





THE FREE PRESS said:


> Robert Moehling, 45-year owner of Robert Is Here, said he recently found a dead tegu near his home. "Dogs apparently got to it," he said.



Dogs, while not 'native', are very abundant in South Florida and all but the smallest lap dogs could do well faced with a mature Tegu. 

Aligators and birds of prey are both common preditors to them in the native region which will also be a natural preditor in South Florida. 

South Florida also has far more medium sized mammals that could pose a threat to most Tegus. Lynx, Bobcat, Oppossum, Fox, Racoon amongst dozens of others could pose a threat to even a large adult male Tegu. 

The above is only considering adult Tegus. Thousands of native species would make a meal out of a young Tegu. 



While I can see the unfortunate reality that through the pet trade non native speciess have been introduced to South Florida...

I think everyone should be offered a bit of truth in their media...


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