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Bounty placed on new invasive lizard |
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| The Calotes versicolor , with its Iguana-like crest can easily be recognised |
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A R50 bounty has been placed on an invasive lizard species introduced recently that could pose a severe threat to local biodiversity, environment officials said on Friday January 16. The new lizard, or calotes versicolor, was recently found at Anse Aux Pins and on Ste Anne. The conservation section of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources believes the lizard poses a major threat to biodiversity in Seychelles, given the country’s wide range of endemic species. Further complicating the situation is that several factors indicate that the lizard’s population could grow unchecked, rapidly establishing itself in Seychelles. Ministry officials said that research has shown that the lizard is quite versatile in what it eats, ranging from plant materials, insects, small birds and other lizards, even from the same species, giving it a comparative advantage over other endemic lizards. The lizard is not likely to have any natural predators either, officials said. The ministry said the R50 bounty for the lizards – dead or alive – will give members of the public an incentive to capture or kill the lizards. “The public has a major role to play in this regards since they are on site and are likely to encounter the lizard on a frequent basis,” said one official. The ministry said it has received a remarkable amount of support and assistance from the public since the lizard was first discovered, but as yet no lizards have been brought in. The conservation section said it would be trying new methods to capture the lizards, and have enlisted the help of schoolchildren during the holidays to assist with survey work on Ste. Anne, where most of the lizards had been found. Calotes versicolor can be easily recognised and should not be confused with any other lizard, officials said. Calotes is bigger and has a longer tail compared to other lizards. It can have various colour patterns from green to red and has an Iguana-like crest. Once caught, lizards must be brought to the Botanical Gardens or Fond Boffay in Praslin for proper identification and payment. |
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