The Lazarus Lizards of Cincinnati
Little Bean Finds A Unique Creature
During our visit last month to the famous architectural wonder, The Mushroom House, in Cincinnati, Little Bean - the eagle eye she is - spotted a most curious denizen of the city.
A Lazarus Lizard.
We didn’t know it at the time, but the fellow we happened upon is the direct descendant of the original batch of lizards that showed up in the city in 1951. How can one be so certain of such a thing? Well, because George Rau told us all so.
Back in the summer of ‘51, then 10-year-old George had just returned from a European vacation with his family to northern Italy, near Milan. The sly youngster somehow managed to slip six to ten European Wall Lizards through customs and brought them back to his home in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Cinci.
The lizards - entirely invasive to North America at the time - escaped, started populating and are now so common that they are listed and protected by Ohio law.
But why are they known here as Lazarus Lizards? Well, George was the step-son of none other than Fred Lazarus III, one of the owners of the popular mid-west department store chain. Lazarus existed from 1851 till 2005 when it was absorbed into Macy’s. At its peak, there were 65 stores in the chain around the mid-west.
So, once the lizards started showing up and George started telling his story, the creatures became known as Lazarus Lizards.
And that’s what we saw bounding across a rock garden near the Mushroom House. He was pretty large, maybe six inches with a long tail that pops off and grows back. And he was friendly, allowing Uma to get quite close for a picture.
Don’t forget, everything has a story. Even a little brown lizard hopping on rocks in a mid-western city. Maybe especially that!
Don’t forget everyone, that our raffle to win Uma’s fire tower painting is still ongoing! The raffle is a collaboration with NH Audubon, an organization that’s played a big role in Uma’s life. She’s attended Audubon summer camp at NH Audubon Massabesic Center in Auburn for many summers now and it’s helped mold her outlook on nature and the outdoors. You can click below to get a raffle ticket or two!
Click here to go to our raffle page!
What a great story!
Like the back story of this little lizard. Interesting that it is an exotic (euphemistic for invasive) species that is now protected. Must have local predators that keep it in check.