Brown Anole Stock Photo

The Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei) is a lizard native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, and is now found in Florida and as far north as southern Georgia, Texas, Taiwan, Hawaii, Southern California, and other Caribbean islands. This species is highly invasive. In its introduced range it reaches exceptionally high population densities, is capable of expanding its range at an exponential rate, and both out competes and consumes many species of native lizards. Its introduction in the United States has altered the behavior and triggered a negative effect on populations of the native Carolina Anole (Anolis carolinensis).