The Department of Environment has issued an invasive species alert following the discovery of a red-headed rock agama lizard in Grand Cayman on Thursday, 25 Jan.
The DoE “has long kept an eye out for the [lizard] which can worryingly be thought of as the ‘next green iguana,'” the department said on Monday in an advisory on the animal’s discovery.
Though it is believed to be an “accidental import”, the DoE is advising to the public to be on the lookout for the small reptile, which is a species of lizard from the family Agamidae which is found in most of sub-Saharan Africa.
“It behaves much like our native Curly-tailed Lizard (or Lion-lizard) and would pose a serious risk to such native reptiles through competition of resources as well as a potential vector of disease. Once established, the Agamas are much harder to control than are Green Iguanas due to their smaller size,” the DoE said in a post on its official Facebook page Monday.
The male lizard was found in the industrial centre of George Town, next to the container yard where international shipments have their first port of call in the islands, the DoE said.
“It is therefore highly likely to have been a one-off accidental import, highlighting the need for robust biosecurity protocols. Thanks to Dominic Jackson who alerted the Terrestrial Resources Unit upon spotting it, we were able to detect and remove the animal successfully within the hour,” the DoE said.
This is the first record of the reptile here, but it has become invasive in South Florida.
“The Red-headed Agama is, due to its spectacular colouration (especially in males), a popular animal in the pet trade and has been introduced to southern Florida where it has established and become extremely common,” the DoE added.
The lizard is primarily insectivorous, the DoE said, “but they have been known to eat small mammals, small reptiles, and vegetation such as flowers, grasses, and fruits”.
“If you see this lizard, or any other exotic looking animal in the wild, please contain it if possible and contact the DoE Terrestrial Unit immediately by WhatsApp on 925-7625 or email [email protected],” the department said.
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