Lead-resistant lizards in New Orleans could hold clues to combating lead poisoning

New research from Tulane University found that brown anole lizards in New Orleans carry the highest blood-lead levels ever recorded in a vertebrate — amounts that would be lethal to most other animals — yet they appear unaffected.

The study, published this month in Environmental Research, found that the lizards’ blood lead levels exceeded all previously reported values for fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals.

“What’s astonishing is that these lizards aren’t just surviving, they’re thriving with lead burden that would be catastrophic for most other animals,” said study author Alex Gunderson, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology in Tulane’s School of Science and Engineering.

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