Oriente knight anole in exhibit

Oriente Knight Anole

Scientific Name
Anolis smallwoodi
Geographic Range
Cuba
Diet
Insects, grubs, and tree frogs
Oriente knight anole in exhibit Endangered Status Graph - Near Threatened Endangered Status Graph - Near Threatened

More Information

Oriente knight anoles are large lizards, measuring 8–9 inches on average. They are generally a deep green color with blue spots. They spend their time in trees hunting prey. They get water by licking it off leaves.

Oriente knight anoles are solitary, except during breeding season between March and November. Females produce just one egg at a time, but they do so every five to 25 days. Eggs remain buried in holes that she digs for up to 69 days, after which the young start to emerge.

Did You Know?

  • Oriente knight anoles are named for their native range in the Oriente province of the southeastern part of Cuba.
  • Males have a colorful pink or orange flap of skin under the chin called a dewlap, which they extend to scare off predators and attract mates.
  • These anoles prefer to hide in dense foliage and forest canopies. They are adaptable to different environments and generally inhabit forests, mangroves, and coffee plantations.

 

Animal Care staff working with seal

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.

Learn More

Support Your Zoo

Two Chilean flamingos in exhibit

Animals Depend On People Too

When you ADOPT an animal, you support world-class animal care by helping to provide specially formulated diets, new habitat elements, and regular veterinary checkups.

Adopt an Animal

Asian small-clawed otter in exhibit

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.

Browse the Wish List

African penguin eating a fish

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.

Take Action

00:00
00:00
Empty Playlist