Florida is bracing for another invasion, this time from a lizard that moves like Jesus Christ.
KSTU reports the brown basilisk, known as the “Jesus Christ lizard,” earned its moniker because it can run on water. It’s native to South America but has been popping up in the Sunshine State, which is concerning to environmentalists.
The theory is people purchased the lizards as pets and released them, or they escaped into the wild.
Ken Gioeli of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences warned of a “possible human health impact” because the lizards can host certain mosquito-borne diseases.
In addition, they could disrupt the ecosystem by chowing down on native butterflies and other lizards.
To ward off a potential lizard invasion, Gioeli is urging residents to take photos if they spot a basilisk and share it to the IveGot1 app. The picture will share the potential location of the lizard and help biologists get an idea of where they’re migrating — and whether future action will be required.