Rhode Island Man Finds Massive Lizard Buried in Snow

The Argentine black-and-white tegu was suffering from frostbite and required emergency treatment.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 5:07pm

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A man in Providence, Rhode Island was shocked to discover a large tegu lizard buried under 20 inches of snow while shoveling his driveway during a blizzard. The reptile, native to Central and South America, was barely moving and suffering from severe cold exposure. The man alerted local reptile experts who rushed to rescue the animal and bring it to the New England Wildlife Center for emergency treatment.

Why it matters

Tegus are an invasive species in the United States, though some people keep them as exotic pets. This incident highlights the risks these cold-blooded animals face when exposed to extreme winter weather conditions outside of their natural tropical habitats, as well as the importance of responsible pet ownership and reporting sightings of non-native wildlife.

The details

The tegu was found by a man named Francis Hardy, who noticed the large reptile slowly trying to crawl out of the snow. Hardy wrapped the lizard in a t-shirt and contacted local reptile experts Taylor and Emily of ET Reptiles, who immediately went to retrieve the animal. Veterinarians at the New England Wildlife Center found the tegu to be extremely weak, underweight, and suffering from frostbite on its tongue. They performed an amputation of the damaged tissue and provided other treatments to help the tegu recover from the cold exposure.

  • On Wednesday, January 28, the New England Wildlife Center revealed the discovery in a Facebook post.
  • The tegu was found during a blizzard in Providence, Rhode Island.

The players

Francis Hardy

A Providence, Rhode Island resident who discovered the tegu lizard buried in the snow while shoveling his driveway.

Taylor and Emily

The co-owners of ET Reptiles who responded immediately to retrieve the tegu and bring it to the New England Wildlife Center for treatment.

New England Wildlife Center

The wildlife rehabilitation organization that provided emergency medical care for the tegu lizard after it was rescued from the snow.

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What they’re saying

“A large tegu was slowly trying to crawl out of the snow,”

— New England Wildlife Center

“It was so rigid. It was like rigid, like a board freezing cold to the touch.”

— Francis Hardy

What’s next

Officials from the New England Wildlife Center said they are unsure where the tegu lizard came from and are asking anyone with information or who is missing the reptile to contact them or ET Reptiles.

The takeaway

This incident serves as a reminder of the challenges exotic pets can face when exposed to extreme weather conditions outside of their natural habitats, and the importance of responsible pet ownership and reporting sightings of non-native wildlife to the proper authorities.