Overview
- State wildlife officials have documented dozens of Argentine black-and-white tegus in southeastern Georgia and are asking the public to report sightings so managers can map and respond to the population.
- The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is working with the U.S. Geological Survey and Georgia Southern University to trap, remove and study tegus in Toombs and Tattnall counties.
- Officials warn tegus eat eggs of ground-nesting birds and young of protected species such as gopher tortoises and American alligators, posing a serious ecological threat.
- Because tegus are non-native and not protected by state wildlife law, residents may legally humanely trap or kill them on private property with the landowner’s permission and should follow safety and local rules.
- Authorities stress urgency because females can lay roughly 35 eggs a year and hatchlings typically appear in June and July, and they advise photographing sightings, securing pet food, filling burrows and reporting sightings to gainvasives@dnr.ga.gov or the DNR phone line.