If you've ever spent any amount of time in Florida, you've undoubtedly encountered these prehistoric-looking reptiles running across sidewalks, leaping to and from plants and trees, and sneaking into dwellings.
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Florida lizards range in color from bright green to black, they munch on bugs, and they turn up in some unusual places (mailboxes, shoes, cars, etc).
Most anoles found in Florida are scientifically Carolina Anoles (Anolis carolinensis). These small lizards grow up to 8 inches long (20 cm) and weigh up to .25 ounce (7 grams).
Anoles have been around a long time. They've been found in fossils dating back at least 6,000,000 years. That's a couple million years before humans emerged.
Anoles are territorial. Stress in an anole can be identified by symptoms including a black semicircle behind their eyes and a darkening skin tone.
Anoles are curious. A healthy lizard patrols his territory. The males will fight with other males and defend their territory, often against intruders from afar like the Cuban Brown Anole (below). Also known as Anolis sagrei, this lizard is native to Cuba and the Bahamas but has become naturalized in parts of Florida. Larger than Carolina Anoles, this lizard grows to 8-10 inches (20-25 cm).
Breeding season starts in April and lasts through August. The dewlap (red throat) is sometimes a display used to entice a mate. Sometimes it appears to be used to defend territory from encroaching males. Empty egg shells are turning up everywhere along with little ones (below). If they are unfortunate enough to find their way into the house, they don't last long. The cats love nothing better than chasing anoles.
(and you're paying for his defense)
Environmental groups hit Trump with a lawsuit just hours after he announced he’ll shrink two national monuments in Utah that contain stunning red-sandstone vistas, historic relics and energy resources.
The Wilderness Society, the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council and seven other groups alleged that the president overstepped his authority in scaling back the 1.4-million-acre Bears Ears to about 220,000 acres, and the 1.9-million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante national monument to about 1 million acres.
The Antiquities Act of 1906, signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt, authorizes presidents to create national monuments, according to the complaint filed Monday in federal court in Washington. “It does not authorize presidents to abolish them either in whole or in part, as President Trump’s action attempts to do.”
Former President Barack Obama designated Bears Ears as a national monument last December over the objections of Utah’s Republican political leadership. Former President Bill Clinton established Grand Staircase in 1996.
Anyone who visited Patagonia’s website on Monday night, December 4, 2017, in search of a warm winter fleece or a pair of snow pants was in for a surprise. Replacing the usual shopping choices were giant white letters on a black background offering a stark message: “The President Stole Your Land.”
The message continued in smaller letters: “In an illegal move, the president just reduced the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments. This is the largest elimination of protected land in American history.”
The page was referring to President Trump’s order Monday reducing the size of two national monuments in Utah by nearly 2 million acres combined.
Patagonia’s move was part of an ongoing fight in the West, one the company and the outdoor recreation industry generally has been waging against exploitation of the lands for fossil fuel, development and cattle grazing.
REI, another recreational gear company, devoted part of its homepage to a more modest protest. “Despite the loss of millions of acres of protected lands this week,” the company said, “REI will continue to advocate for the places we all love.”
Photos: Ryan Cullom/Ventura County Fire Department
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