- Where to see one
- 3 U.S. zoos in our directory hold argentine red tegu, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the argentine red tegu
The red tegu is a lizard native to western Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. Hatchlings show little red, but the animals grow rapidly, reaching maturity in two to three years and developing red coloration, with males usually brighter. Adult females reach about 91 cm and males up to 140 cm, developing large jowls. In the wild they are diurnal and terrestrial, and in temperate Argentina they brumate in winter, burying themselves for up to seven months in some areas. Opportunistic omnivores, they eat fruit, vegetables, insects, rodents, birds, fish and carrion.
Argentine Red Tegu facts
- Well-fed juveniles can grow more than an inch per week.
- In the Chaco-Espinal ecotone of central Argentina it hybridises with the Argentine black and white tegu in a stable hybrid zone.
- Adult males are significantly larger than females.
- It is popular in the pet trade for its ease of care and relatively docile nature.
Where to see argentine red tegu in the U.S.
3 zoos across 3 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 2 zoos holding argentine red tegu by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
1 more zoo holds argentine red tegu but has no coordinates on file yet, so it isn't ranked here. It's in the full list below.
Colorado· 1
Massachusetts· 1
Wisconsin· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
