Zoo Atlanta is celebrating a rare conservation success after two critically endangered Guatemalan beaded lizards hatched earlier this month.
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According to Zoo Atlanta, the two hatchlings arrived on May 14 and May 17.
The Guatemalan beaded lizard is considered one of the rarest reptile species on the planet, and Zoo Atlanta is one of only seven zoos in the United States that houses the species.
The hatchlings are currently being cared for behind the scenes at the Zoo’s Conservation Breeding Center. Zoo officials say the baby lizards appear to be ‘hardy, healthy, and feisty.’
“This species is very challenging to reproduce in zoological care, and these hatchlings give us great cause to celebrate,” said Gina Ferrie, PhD, Zoo Atlanta’s Vice President of Collections and Conservation.
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Ferrie said the milestone is also important for conservation partners working in Guatemala to protect the species in the wild.
“Not only is this species very challenging to reproduce in zoological care, but these are also animals about which we still have so much to learn,” Ferrie said.
The species had not successfully hatched at Zoo Atlanta since 2018.
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