Ricky the head alien — 1 year ago(March 09, 2025 12:15 PM)

10 lizards were smuggled into Cincinnati in a sock. Now there are tens of thousands.
Native to Europe, common wall lizards are growing bigger, faster, and more resilient in Ohio. Scientists say the city itself may be driving their evolution.
In 1951, George Rau Jr., whose stepfather, Fred Lazarus Jr., founded the retail chain that would later become Macy’s, smuggled 10 Italian lizards home from a family trip in Lake Garda and set them loose in his backyard. He had no idea he was unleashing an ecological experiment spanning decades.
Today, their descendants number in tens of thousands—if not hundreds—of thousands. Declared “permanent residents” by the Ohio Division of Wildlife, they scurry across sidewalks, cling to brick walls, and flourish in an environment that seems much different than where they’re from. How did Cincinnati become their perfect home?
Link:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/cincinnati-wall-lizards-history-survival