Interesting "Field" Find

[freves]

Yesterday my brother presented me with a Green Anole (A. carolenensis) that he found on the construction site that he works on in SW VA. The closest pet store is around three miles away across a river. Even though there has been documentation of a population of green anoles established in Tennessee I think that this was most likely an escaped or released pet. Still interesting though.
Chip

 

[kwksand]

Surprising as it seems, green anoles are native to southern VA.

 

[freves]

In many field guides the range for A. carolenensis is listed as extending into the extreme SE tip of the state, I have never heard of any being found in the Appalachians however. After thinking about it some more and discussing it on the VHS forum it occurred to me that there is a Kroger store in that shopping center, which carries houseplants. It is probably even more likely that the anole hitchhiked in on a plant shipment.
Chip