Which species are identified as invasive reptiles?

• A. Komodo dragon, iguanas
• B. Gila monster, alligators
• C. Boa constrictor, chameleons
• D. burmese python, Tegus

Answer: (D)

Non-native reptiles that establish self-sustaining breeding populations in a new region and cause harm to native ecosystems are considered invasive. The best answer names species that have done this in a well-known case: Burmese pythons and tegus have established wild populations in places like Florida after being released or escaping from the pet trade, and they exert noticeable ecological impacts through predation on native wildlife and competition with native species. In contrast, the Komodo dragon is native to specific Indonesian islands and hasn’t formed established invasive populations elsewhere; Gila monsters and alligators are native to parts of North America and aren’t invasive in those regions; while boas and chameleons can be released pets, they do not have the same widely documented, self-sustaining invasions as the Burmese python and the tegu.