Wildlife Watching Wednesday: The Exotic Northern Curly-Tailed Lizard

By: Tom Berg 

There are many exotic and invasive reptiles in the USA these days, and Florida is certainly home to many of them.  The Sunshine State’s year-round warm temperatures make it easy for tropical snakes and lizards to live there permanently, without having to worry about cold winters or frigid temperatures that they might not survive.

One exotic lizard that has taken up permanent residence in south Florida is the Northern Curly-Tailed Lizard.  This small lizard is native to the Bahamas and other Caribbean islands, but it was brought to Florida in the 1940s to help control insect pests in the sugar cane plantations of the day.  Of course, the local population expanded beyond the cane fields and they are now well-established in many areas, including the Florida Keys where this photo was taken.

Northern curly-tailed lizards are relatively small, measuring a maximum of about 10-11 inches long (including the tail).  They are generally mottled brown or tan in color, although some individuals are grayish-brown.  Their throat and belly is somewhat lighter in color.  They have rough scales on their back, legs and tail.  These lizards often curl their tail upwards when they feel threatened by predators or when people get too close.  If the threat persists, they quickly flee.

Like many lizards in warm climates, the diet of northern curly-tailed lizards is comprised mostly of insects, spiders and small vertebrates, including smaller lizards.  In fact, they are a predator of the native green anole lizard in Florida.  They are omnivores, so they also eat some plant matter like seeds, flowers and small berries.

Northern curly-tailed lizards mate in the springtime, and females usually lay a clutch of 2-4 small, cream-colored eggs.  She buries the eggs with sand or dirt or even small rocks.  The eggs hatch during the wet season, which is late-June through December.  When the baby lizards hatch, they must be ready to move fast to flee and escape danger.  Mortality rates are high – often 80% or more, so adult females usually produce multiple clutches per year.

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