Unaware Athens woman had 3-foot exotic lizard living under her porch.
According to wildlife officials in Georgia, the woman was unaware that a 3-foot tegu lizard was under her porch until neighborhood kids told her about a “giant lizard.”
Following reports from some children that they had seen a “giant lizard” in her yard, the Athens resident found one living under her porch, according to a news release from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Today’s worldwide news identifies the lizard as the Argentine black and white tegu, a species that can reach a length of four feet.
After taking it into custody, the DNR received the tegu and reported that it couldn’t locate its owner.
According to the world news headlines, Brett Albanese of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources stated, “This is definitely an example of why we need to regulate these species.”
“They can be challenging to care for, and as they get bigger, their owners might not be able to or want to.”
Owners of tegu lizards and five other species of reptiles must tag and register their animals according to a new law that goes into effect in Georgia in December.
