By Gayle Pille
Special to the NKyTribune
Mention Lazarus and one’s inclined to think of a biblical story or of a prominent Cincinnati family. But to some, lizards come to mind. Lazarus Lizards have been living in Cincinnati since the early 1950’s and have since gravitated to Northern Kentucky.
What are Lazarus Lizards? Lazarus Lizards are in fact Podarcis muralis, or commonly known as European Wall Lizards. They’re here, and experts agree, they’re probably here to stay. They’ve become legends in their own right and have a unique and colorful story.
The story goes…George Rau, the stepson of Fred Lazarus, brought about 10 of the wall lizards back from Northern Italy in the early 1950’s and released them in the family yard on Torrence Court in the Columbia-Tusculum area of Cincinnati.
With temperatures and precipitation levels about the same in Cincinnati as in the Lake Garda region of Northern Italy (near Milan), the lizards felt right at home. Another benefit to the lizards was that the Columbia-Tusculum area was, and still is, loaded with stone retaining walls, a preferred habitat for the little guys here and abroad – hence the name European Wall Lizard.
Needless to say the lizards thrived. Eastern Cincinnati, especially around the Columbia-Tusculum area, still has oodles of the lizards. They have since spread throughout the city and pockets of Lazarus Lizards can be found in Mount Adams, Over the Rhine, the Cincinnati Zoo and into the west side. The little interlopers have even made it across the pond into Northern Kentucky where they are commonly seen in West Covington, Park Hills, Newport and Ft. Thomas.
It’s no wonder that Lazarus Lizards have flourished in Greater Cincinnati. Since our landscape isn’t exactly flat, we can accommodate them with our many retaining walls. Dry stack walls make better habitat since they provide crevices for lizards to hide and hibernate in.
European Wall Lizards top out at about nine to ten-inches long. They subsist on insects, often moving off of walls into grassy areas to actively hunt. Sometimes though, they turn out to be the hunted. Cats, snakes, birds and other predators will often lunge at a lizard only to be rewarded with a small portion of wriggling tail. As is true with most lizards, the tail will regenerate. Little consolation for the predator, rewarded with an appetizer instead of a full meal.
Dr. John Ferner, professor emeritus of biology at Thomas More College, studied European Wall Lizards for several years. The populations that Dr. Ferner studied in Northern Kentucky were located in Ft. Thomas and Park Hills. Dr. Ferner feels certain the populations in Northern Kentucky were trapped in Cincinnati and relocated. They will probably continue to spread. “They have a very high reproductive potential and easily disperse along railroad beds and rock walls,” said Dr. Ferner. “Invasive species have become one of our highest priorities of environmental concerns. It’s generally not a good idea to move species around,” continued Dr. Ferner.
Citing Florida as an example Dr. Ferner added that non-native lizard species in Florida are definitely having an impact on native species there. The fear is that the Lazarus Lizards will impact our local native lizard species, notably the Fence Lizard, Broad-headed Skink, and Blue-tailed Skink.
For now humans and Lazarus Lizards are enjoying a felicitous relationship. To the delight of many the Lazarus Lizards are thriving in our area.
“They are survivors,” said Dr. Ferner.
Gayle Pille is a local naturalist and nature writer who many know through her work to establish the five-mile network of nature trails at Highland Cemetery in Ft. Mitchell. She created the cemetery’s popular 25-year-old Wildlife Enhancement Program and works with a small team of volunteers to maintain the cemetery’s wooded walking paths. An avid birdwatcher, Gayle also builds custom wildlife nest boxes for businesses, parks and residences through her business, www.woodlandhabitat.com
Contact her at gaylepille@yahoo.com