Invasive 'rainbow lizard' population is rapidly increasing in Florida with no end in sight

African redhead agamas are hard to miss.

The male lizards have bright orange heads, dark blue bodies, multicolored tails and can grow up to a foot long. Females aren't quite as colorful, though they do have some bright spots and share the same stunning stature.

The invasive species has spread throughout Florida's Treasure Coast and as far north as Duval County, increasing its population at an unprecedented rate in the past few years.

A colourful alien-like rock agama in the shade of branches in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania.
A colourful alien-like rock agama in the shade of branches in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania.

Experts credit the redhead agama takeover to three main factors:

  • Consistent warm and wet weather

  • A fast reproduction cycle

  • No natural predators, and the lizard cannot be killed with traditional poisons or repellents

The "rainbow lizard," as it's commonly known as, will likely never be eradicated, said Ken Gioeli, an extension agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

"People are kind of at a loss right now," he said. "From what the research is showing ... they’re here to stay."

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Redhead agama invasion

Native to Africa, the redhead agama first debuted in South Florida through the pet trade in 1976, Gioeli said. One or more lizards likely either escaped or were released, or both.

On the Treasure Coast, Stuart was a primary locale for many years after the invader was first sighted in 2003, he added.

“I think what happened is the St. Lucie Inlet was a barrier for them," Gioeli speculated. "For quite a while, they stayed down in the Martin County area. It wasn't until the last seven or so years that they made it over the Roosevelt Bridge into Jensen Beach and eventually into Fort Pierce and Vero Beach."

Agama lizards typically reproduce during the wet season but are capable of doing so year-round in an environment with consistent rainfall — one thing Florida does not have little supply of.

When Josh Grau first moved to Martin County in 2014, he would see one or two rainbow lizards hanging around his property, he said. Now, they're everywhere.

Peggy Decina found this red-headed agama while walking along the Fort Pierce Inlet.
Peggy Decina found this red-headed agama while walking along the Fort Pierce Inlet.

"My house has tons – maybe 20 or 30 every day," said Grau, founder of the nonprofit Ending Non-Native Destructive Species, or ENNDS, based in Florida.

ENNDS used to regularly conduct organized hunts to capture and euthanize the redhead agamas. But, it wasn't making a dent.

"You can spend a lot of time just catching one," Grau said. "We haven’t found a manageable way (to eradicate them) that’s really worth the time."

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, nor any other organization, does not track the lizard's population statistics. No hard data was readily available.

Nightmare for homeowners? They're more of a shock than a nuisance

Redhead agama aren't known to be aggressive or destructive to property, Gioeli said. The lizard is not venomous and does not carry diseases; it actually may be beneficial to homeowners since it eats native insects.

Having the lengthy, colorful creature on your property is more of a shock value than a nuisance, he added.

"People might get taken aback when they see them climbing up walls, but they’re not going to bite or tear up window screens," Gioeli said.

The top complaint: poop. Big poop, said Grau, who added he gets about two calls a week from homeowners seeking advice.

Humanely euthanizing the invasive species is realistically the only solution to curb the population, though Gioeli said it will take a lot of time and patience to bait and capture the lizards.

Shooting it with pellet guns and baiting the lizard into a trapping mechanism are usually a homeowner's best bets, Grau said.

Residents can report sightings of the lizard to the FWC's exotic species hotline at 888-483-4681.

Follow reporter Catie Wegman on Twitter: @Catie_Wegman

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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: African Redhead Agamas, invasive 'rainbow lizards', spread in Florida