NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — New research from Tulane University found brown anole lizards in New Orleans carry the highest blood-lead levels ever recorded in a vertebrate.

The study found that the lizards 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.

Tulane officials said this research underscores the lingering legacy of lead contamination in New Orleans and the complex ways organisms adapt, or fail to adapt, in polluted environments.

The brown anoles ar

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