Friday's Foto

The Italian Wall Lizard (Podarcis siculus), as the name suggests, is an Old World reptile not indigenous to North America. Their native range is the Mediterranean basin, particularly the Italian Peninsula. However, pockets of released pets have established themselves within the new world. At Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY, if you look carefully, you can find them thriving along Sweet Gum Path, near the historic chapel. This small lizard averages 3" to 4" long, with a tail of equal or greater length. They feed primarily on caterpillars, grasshoppers and beetles. Read more about this "Italian immigrant" here.