New Englander finds exotic lizard buried under 20 inches of snow while shoveling driveway

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A New England man made an unusual discovery while shoveling out from this past weekend’s snowstorm.

A resident of Providence, Rhode Island, found a large tegu native to South America buried beneath nearly 20 inches of snow, according to the New England Wildlife Center.

The man brought the lizard inside, wrapped it in a shirt, and called the owners of ET Reptiles, who immediately went to retrieve the animal.

Doctors say the tegu was extremely weak, underweight, and not moving well after having suffered frostbite to his tongue due to prolonged exposure to the cold.

“Reptiles are cold-blooded, meaning they rely on their environment to regulate their body temperature. When temperatures drop too low for too long, their metabolism slows, blood flow is compromised, and cells begin to fail. In this case, the cold likely led to tissue damage and a cold-induced myopathy, essentially muscle injury caused by inadequate circulation and energy at low temperatures,” the NEWC wrote in a Facebook post.

The NEWC says its team amputated a small portion of nonviable tissue from the lizard’s tongue and provided supportive care, including steroids, to help address inflammation and generalized weakness.

The lizard is now said to be resting comfortably and is finally warm.

Officials are still trying to determine where the lizard came from.

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