Yes! Italian Wall Lizards are in Joplin, and they DON’T belong here! Some Joplin residents know this all too well! The rest of us need to be on the lookout for these invasive lizards. Competition with native lizards and other wildlife would be a major concern if they were to make their way to Wildcat Glades Natural Area or Silver Creek Glade.
Italian Wall Lizard
But where did they come from? Apparently, Italian Wall Lizards (Podarcis siculus) escaped from a collector about 2001 when a feral cat dumped an enclosure set outside to give the lizards some sunshine. Since they are native to the Mediterranean region, the collector thought the winter would kill them…WRONG!
In 2013 a resident in the Murphysburg area of North Joplin contacted the Missouri State Herpetologist, Jeff Briggler, concerning a large number of lizards “infesting” his neighborhood. This was investigated, verified, and surveys have been conducted regularly to mark the spread of the lizard. They are commonly seen in rocky habitats, on walls, sidewalks, or building foundations in urban neighborhoods.
So why am I just hearing about this now? Residents were told to keep this problem quiet to prevent collectors from descending on the area to capture and spread them further. However, recently, this lizard was placed on the State of Missouri Prohibited Species List so they cannot legally be imported, exported, transported, sold, purchased, or possessed alive in Missouri. An article will appear in the Conservationist magazine this December.
What can I do about it? Report them when you see them! A research group from Texas A & M is tracking the range of these lizards and their impact on native species in the U.S. Submit photos to iNaturalist or to their research website (www.walllizards.com). If you see them on Wildcat or Silver Creek glades, contact the Missouri Department of Conservation right away!