The Brown anole, also known as the Bahaman anole, is a lizard native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It has a wide distribution throughout Florida. It is considered a nonnative species in Florida and negatively affects native Carolina green anole populations by out-competing for food sources and preying on them. The brown anole living at the Nature Center hitched a ride up with a Michigan traveler from the southern parts of Florida. We know she is a female brown anole by the absence of a dewlap and her white dorsal stripe and triangular pattern that males lack. In the wild, anoles prey on insects and sometimes smaller lizards or fish. We feed our brown anole crickets daily.
Brown anoles have a unique defense mechanism. They can detach most of their tail when pursued or captured by a predator. The piece of tail that breaks off continues to move, possibly distracting the predator and allowing the anole to escape.
Life span: About five years in captivity
Size: Males – 7-8 inches, Females – 3-6 inches
Food habits: Mainly Insectivore