🦎 Invasive red-headed African lizard sighted in George Town

The Department of Environment (DoE) has reported the sighting of an invasive red-headed rock Agama in George Town. The reptile, native to Sub-Saharan Africa, was first spotted in the area in January, with no further sightings until this week. There are growing concerns that the small lizard, popular in the pet trade, could establish a presence in the region, posing a threat to Cayman’s endemic lizards and iguanas. The Agama was first introduced to southern Florida as a pet and has since become extremely common there. 🌍

The first sighting of the red-headed rock Agama this year was in the industrial area of George Town, close to the container yard where international shipments arrive. The DoE’s Terrestrial Resources Unit was alerted and managed to locate and remove the animal within an hour of the sighting. The unit also successfully trapped the most recent sighting of the lizard. The DoE has warned that the Agama, which has a diet similar to native curly-tailed lizards, could pose a significant risk to native reptiles through competition for resources and potential disease transmission. 🦎

The public is urged to report any sightings of this lizard or any other exotic-looking animals in the wild. If possible, individuals are asked to contain the animal and contact the DoE Terrestrial Unit immediately. 📞