Madeiran lizards are super heros

Hey guys!

Today I did something new… I used google translate to turn a German article into English and then I used ChatGPT to make it sound better. Then I used Picsart to generate an image: Super hero lizard in Madeira.

Why?

Because I wanted to share this amazing fact with you that will interest you if you’re living or thinking of moving to Madeira and have kids that will spend lots of time in nature. My friend Nina told me about this article and it might give you a big relief or even motivation to live here lol.

Read about the awesomeness of the lizards here yourself:

The local wall lizard (Podarcis dugesii) in Madeira has unfortunately gained a negative reputation among its residents. These charming creatures, known for their appetite for grapes and bananas, have become the target of widespread poisoning due to both their dietary habits and the unfounded fears instilled in many locals.

However, what remains unknown to most is the invaluable role played by these lizards in protecting the population of Madeira from the threat of Lyme disease. This ailment, prevalent in the southern United States, stems from a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi, which typically resides harmlessly in mice and other small mammals.

Interestingly, the true culprit in this tale is not the lizards but rather the tick. In order to thrive and reproduce, a tick must feed on blood three times throughout its lifespan. When it feeds on a Borrelia-infected mouse and subsequently feasts on an uninfected one, it transfers the bacterium to the latter. However, if a tick carrying Borrelia feeds on a human, it transmits the bacteria and thus the causative agent of Lyme disease.

Studies have revealed the presence of Borrelia-infected mice on Madeira, albeit in small numbers. Nevertheless, the island remains practically untouched by Lyme disease. The credit for this achievement lies with the abundance of Madeira wall lizards.

In Madeira, lizards outnumber mice, increasing the likelihood of a tick encountering a lizard rather than a mouse when searching for a "blood donor." Since ticks also feed on lizards, the absence of Borrelia in these reptiles prevents the bacteria from surviving within the ticks themselves. Consequently, the substantial lizard population serves a dual purpose: it reduces the chances of ticks acquiring Borrelia bacteria and simultaneously acts as a natural cleansing mechanism for the tick population.

Remarkably, a correlation has been established between the prevalence of lizards and the number of infected mice: areas with few lizards harbor infected rodents, while regions teeming with lizards remain free from the disease. These findings, observed by Prof. Dr. Peter Wirtz, highlight the vital role played by the remarkable abundance of Madeira wall lizards in safeguarding the island's inhabitants from Lyme disease.

PS: For those of you who speak German can read the original article here. And I also wanted to give credit and a back link to the author…. ;-)