PETA Supports Rhode Island Ban On Exotic Lizard

A reptile group opposes the proposed ban and has encouraged an email campaign.

By Joseph Hosey, Patch Staff

May 6, 2026 12:47 pm EDT

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has come out in support of a Rhode Island ban on the tegu. (Courtesy of the New England Wildlife Center)

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has come out in support of a proposed Rhode Island ban on a breed of huge exotic South American lizard.

Catie Cryar, PETA's senior manager of media relations, said in an email that "such a ban would protect these large lizards and Rhode Island’s native ecosystems," as the "cramped glass boxes where most captive reptiles live are nothing like the forests, jungles, and deserts they call home."

The United States Association of Reptile Keepers issued an alert regarding the "Rhode Island tegu ban" and encouraged emailing David Kalb, the state's supervising wildlife biologist.

Under the subject line, "No to tegu ban," the sample email provided by the Association of Reptile Keepers suggested telling Kalb the "ban is unreasonable" as the tegu is "not an invasive species threat in our state or invasive within 1,000 miles of our state."

Cryar countered that the tegus is "highly intelligent, and if one escapes their home or is released outdoors by an owner who no longer wants to care for them, like any non-native species, they can wreak havoc on local ecosystems."

"Though tegus may not establish a wild population in Rhode Island due to its cold winters, an adult tegu is a large animal with a big appetite and can consume many native plants and animals over the course of a single spring, summer, and fall," Cryar said. "They can also spread non-native parasites to wildlife, and many of them carry salmonella. Tegus are wild animals, and for their own safety and that of Rhode Island’s wildlife, they should be left in their native habitat."

Tegu, which can weigh as much as 20 pounds, are "native to South America, where they live in dense tropical rainforests and wide open savannas and spend their days burrowing underground and foraging for a huge variety of plants, fruits, seeds, insects, snails, birds, lizards, fish, eggs, and more, and they can grow to more than four feet longm" Cryar said.

"In the pet trade, they’re often confined to cramped, barren enclosures where they have no opportunity to burrow and are fed inappropriate diets such as dog food. Many die well short of their 20-year lifespan," she said.

Tegus have become an invasive species in the state of Florida, according to the Jacksonville Zoo.

"These robust reptiles, known for their intelligence and adaptability, were first introduced to the state through the pet trade," according to a post on the zoo's Facebook page. "However, their ability to establish thriving populations — hundreds of them are trapped and removed from the wild every year — has raised serious ecological concerns."

The Association of Reptile Keepers noted that the discovery of a tegu in a Providence driveway during January's blizzard may have played a part in the proposed ban.

"The tegu ban likely stems from the discovery of a tegu in a driveway in January 2026," the association said. "While the tegu would have died had it not been rescued, escapes and releases easily trigger bans."