MacGyver the Lizard (hatched July 4, 2012)[1] is a red tegu lizard and Internet celebrity known for his intelligence,[4] friendly personality,[5][6][7][8][9][10] and large jowls.[9] MacGyver has been described as "a good ambassador of the giant lizard world" for his docile and apparently affectionate behavior.[5]
Background
MacGyver was hatched at Ty Park's lizard farm in Punta Gorda, Florida, on July 4, 2012.[11] He became an Internet sensation later that year when his first viral video, a montage of short clips, appeared on YouTube and received hundreds of thousands of views in the time span of a few weeks.[1] Since the age of three weeks, he has starred in numerous videos in which he appears to come when his owners call his name.[12] He is also regularly seen eating his favorite foods: salmon, eggs, cherries, and grapes,[5][11] as well as cuddling with his owners.[8]
Fandom
MacGyver's videos have received tens of millions of combined video views across YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. As a result, he has amassed a social media following in the hundreds of thousands since first appearing on YouTube in 2012,[5][8] and inspired a fan arthashtag on Instagram that contains pencil sketches, watercolor paintings, photoshops, and various other fan-created works depicting the large red lizard.[8] In July 2016, a fan meetup with MacGyver was held at the San Diego Reptile Supershow.[2][11]
In 2024, MacGyver's cultural influence extended beyond internet fame when he became the inspiration for a cryptocurrency named $MAGAIBA. Created as a memecoin by the hosts of the "Círculo Vicioso" podcast, $MAGAIBA quickly gained popularity on the Solana blockchain. The coin's name is derived from the way MacGyver's name was pronounced in a viral 2017 video. Despite its humorous origins, $MAGAIBA reached an all-time high market capitalization of $20 million at $0.02 per coin, capturing the interest of the crypto community.[13]
On September 7, 2016, AJ+ released a two-minute video about MacGyver and his owners, receiving millions of views on Facebook.[19] On September 11, 2016 The Post featured MacGyver for their weekly Pet Instagram Review, making him the first reptile to be featured for the segment.[20]
