(CMR) The Department of Environment is urging the public to be on the lookout for the Red-Headed Agama, an invasive species of lizard that poses a significant threat to the Cayman Islands after one was recently spotted in Grand Cayman.
Earlier this year, the DoE, in warning of the Agama, said worryingly the species of lizard that is popular in the pet trade could be the “next green iguana.”
The Red Headed Agama is a lizard that originated from sub-Saharan Africa and has recently spread to Florida in the last few years. They are primarily insectivores but also eat plants, reptiles, and small mammals! There have been two reported sightings of the reptile on Grand Cayman.
The DoE warned that the Red-Headed Agama is capable of throwing off the balance of Cayman's ecosystems, competing for resources, and predating upon native species. If left unattended, the lizard could possibly cause the extinction of native flora and fauna. It is crucial that these reptiles are not able to invade the Islands.
The invasive species has been spotted in more than half of Florida's 67 counties, and has been established in atleast 20 counties, making eradication almost not possible.
Contact the Department of Environment by calling (345) 949-8469 with sightings of a Red Headed Agama and if you are suspicious about a species you are seeing!