ORLANDO, Fla., July 7 (Our Florida Times) — A Fox Weather report based on FOX 35 Orlando says the Northern curly-tailed lizard is spreading through Central Florida, but the evidence in the story is limited to expert reporting and field observations, not a formal population study. University of Central Florida herpetologist Matthew Atkinson told FOX 35 Orlando the lizards are becoming “fairly common throughout most of Central Florida now” and said, “They’re probably here to stay.”
What is the Northern curly-tailed lizard?
The Northern curly-tailed lizard, or Leiocephalus carinatus, is native to the Bahamas. According to the Fox Weather report, it has been established in South Florida since the 1930s and is now moving farther north into Central Florida.
Why are officials worried?
Wildlife officials are concerned about what the lizard could mean for native wildlife and local ecosystems. The report says the species preys on native animals, especially the Carolina green anole, and can also compete with native anoles for the same habitat.
The lizards also eat smaller lizards and their eggs, according to the report. Atkinson also told FOX 35 Orlando that they prey on brown anoles, which are themselves invasive in Florida.
That does not mean the lizards are a danger to people. Officials say the species does not pose a threat to humans.
Where are they being seen?
Atkinson said the lizards are often found around concrete and rocky areas, including parking lots and sidewalks. That fits a pattern wildlife officials watch closely, because animals that do well around buildings and roads can spread quickly in urban areas.
What should residents do?
Wildlife officials recommend reporting sightings so the spread can be tracked. The source material does not give a county-by-county count or a population estimate for Central Florida, so the full scale of the spread is still unclear.
How certain is the warning?
The warning is based on direct observation and expert judgment, not on a peer-reviewed study about this specific lizard in Central Florida. The report does not include survey numbers, sample size, or a formal impact analysis. So the core finding is narrow but important: the lizard is spreading, it is already common in some areas, and officials are watching it because of possible effects on native species and habitat.
For Florida, this is part of a broader invasive-species problem. But in this case, the main takeaway is simple: the Northern curly-tailed lizard is no longer just a South Florida species, and wildlife experts say it is now established far enough north that keeping track of it matters.
