Endangered venomous Mexican lizards hatch at zoo in Poland

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Endangered venomous Mexican lizards hatch at zoo in Poland

By: The Associated Press

Monday, April 19, 2021 10:05 AM

Endangered venomous Mexican lizards hatch at zoo in Poland

One of the two endangered venomous Mexican beaded lizards that hatched in February at an incubator, is seen in Wroclaw Zoo, in Wroclaw, Poland, April 4, 2021. Two endangered Mexican beaded lizards have hatched at the Wroclaw Zoo in Poland, boosting the population of the venomous lizards. The zoo said they hatched in late February at the zoo's terrarium, where the eggs had been kept in an incubator ever since they were laid in August. They are still being kept from the public's view and keepers have not yet determined their sex. (Wroclaw Zoo via AP Photo)

The Associated Press

A keeper displays one of the two endangered venomous Mexican beaded lizards that hatched in February at an incubator, is seen in Wroclaw Zoo, in Wroclaw, Poland, April 4, 2021. Two endangered Mexican beaded lizards have hatched at the Wroclaw Zoo in Poland, boosting the population of the venomous lizards. The zoo said they hatched in late February at the zoo's terrarium, where the eggs had been kept in an incubator ever since they were laid in August. They are still being kept from the public's view and keepers have not yet determined their sex. (Wroclaw Zoo via AP Photo)

The Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland (AP) Two endangered Mexican beaded lizards have hatched at the Wroclaw Zoo in Poland, boosting the population of the venomous lizards.

The zoo said the lizards, which are difficult to breed in captivity, hatched in late February at the zoos terrarium, where the eggs had been kept in an incubator since an adult female laid them in August.

Zoo spokeswoman Joanna Kij said Monday that they are still being kept from the publics view and keepers have not yet determined their sex.

In Mexico, the venomous, medium-sized lizards are killed because they are considered very dangerous, but the zoo experts say they only use venom in self-defense. Popular Mexican belief also says they can provoke lighting with their tails.

Adult males can grow to 90 centimeters (35 inches) and weigh up to 4 kilograms (9 pounds).

Three Mexican beaded lizards previously hatched at the zoo in 2016 and were transferred to the Singapore Zoo in 2018.