Rio Fuerte Beaded Lizard
Scientific Name
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Order
Range
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Estimated Wild Population
More Information
Physical Description
Rio Fuerte beaded lizards can reach up to 30 inches from head to tail. They have a broad, flat head and venom glands in their lower jaw. Their bodies are long and heavy and covered with bead-like scales that form yellow and black stripes. These long-clawed lizards are carnivorous, eating insects, small rodents, lizards, snakes, birds, and eggs. They become sexually mature after three or four year.
Interesting Fact 1
Rio Fuerte beaded lizards paralyze their prey with venom mixed into their saliva.
Interesting Fact 2
These lizards are frequently found in abandoned mammal burrows and near sources of permanent water.
Interesting Fact 3
They store fat in their tail, using it as a reserve energy source when food is scarce.
Species Survival Plan®
We cooperate with other members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to manage the zoo population of this species through a Species Survival Plan®.
Commitment to Care
Lincoln Park Zoo prioritizes individual well-being over everything else. Guided by scientific research, staff and volunteers work to provide the best welfare outcomes for each individual in the zoo’s care.
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Wish List
The Wish List is full of one-of-a-kind items for the zoo’s animals, including nutritious snacks and enrichment items to keep them active and healthy.
Take Action With Us
Wildlife face many daunting challenges—some global, like planet-wide climate change, and some that affect individuals, like an animal ingesting plastic—but now is not the time to despair. None of these problems are too big for us to come together and solve.
