Welcome to lizard land!

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I don't know how many lizards we have roaming just around Gateway but I do know I haven't seen a mosquito, fly or most common bugs because of them. No matter where you walk you will see them running away from you as they aren't too friendly with humans. Due to all the encroachment on the Everglades by humans many of the creatures are coming into the city. Also people who buy pets and either don't know how to take care of them or find they are not as entertaining as thought many will 'dump' them anywhere. Most are not native to Florida which causes problems not only for other creatures but for humans. Each year there is a Boa Constrictor hunt in the Everglades not to mention crocodiles and alligators showing up in gardens, swimming pools and, once in awhile, at the front door. A favorite 'pet' that people usually turn loose are chameleons and they can be pretty large. We use to have 200-300 beautiful wild parrots that would 'visit' every day around 4 PM to a tree outside my kitchen window but the owners cut that tree down and haven't seen them since. Coincidentally there was an article in the paper and on TV: " Nearly one-third of the wild birds in the United States and Canada have vanished since 1970, a staggering loss that suggests the very fabric of North America’s ecosystem is unraveling." NYTimes Sept. 19, 2019 So that might be the answer. At this point I have only seen lizards and chameleons at Gateway and I hope it stays that way!