I thought you anole lovers might like to read the post I wrote about my research trip to Florida for my book “The Lizard Scientists” for my colleague Caroline Arnold’s blog “The Intrepid Tourist.
A student at the school found this anole egg and showed it to me–great find!
I was hardly a tourist, but rather a lizard-loving author sweating in the Florida sun while observing James Stroud and Kamau Walker capture, measure, take notes, etc. about the anoles living on Jame’s research island in the Fairchild Gardens. There’s a chapter in the book devoted to James’ research.
I also joined photographer/anole researcher Neil Losin to photograph some different anoles near Parkland and visited a school where students gathered population info on anoles on their school ground.
The whole trip was great, and I went home impressed by the hard work and the cheerful enthusiasm of everyone for these lovable lizards.
- My Research Trip to Florida to gather Info for The Lizard Scientists - January 1, 2023
Rick Wallach
Fairchild is a cornucopia of native and feral lizards, and it’s got some companionable gators in its ponds and some occasional crocs in its east side mangroves too. I don’t live far from it in Cutler Bay, and some of that diversity has spilled over into my yard. I’ve seen our green and blunt nosed anoles, knight anoles, brown anoles, crested anoles, Jamaican anoles, and not a few I couldn’t get to hold still long enough to key. Our sun drenched neck o’ the woods is truly anole retentive.