As if Burmese pythons, inexperienced iguanas, cane toads, and strolling catfish aren’t dangerous sufficient, Floridians are coping with one more invasive species after a video surfaced on Could 20 of a 5-foot-long monitor lizard crossing a street in Charlotte County.
Renee Aland noticed what she first thought was an alligator whereas driving by means of town of North Port, which is on the Sunshine State’s Gulf Coast between Sarasota and Fort Myers. Aland wrote on her Fb web page that she “did a double take” when she handed the reptile and circled to get one other look.
“Once we acquired nearer, I seemed, and I noticed his tongue, lizard tongue popping out, and I used to be like, ‘Oh, crap, that’s not a gator!’” Alland advised WBBH TV in Fort Myers.
Aland captured photographs and video of the creature, which was seen getting into a wooded space close to a automobile dealership. She reported the sighting and despatched her video to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee (FWC), which confirmed that it’s a nonnative monitor lizard, though biologists couldn’t say for sure which species.
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“We consider it to be an Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator) however are unable to definitively verify identification primarily based on this video,” FWC mentioned in a press release. “Monitor lizards are thought of high-priority species for the FWC’s Nonnative Fish and Wildlife Program. Our biologists are nonetheless gathering data associated to sightings of this animal to find out potential response efforts and can proceed monitoring.”
Asian water screens are in the identical genus because the Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus), which was added to Florida’s prohibited species listing in April 2021. The Asian water monitor is taken into account the second largest lizard species after solely the Komodo dragon, with males able to reaching a size of 6-1/2 ft and the longest on report measuring 10 ft. Their house vary is south and southeast Asia, stretching by means of elements of India, Bangladesh, China, Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. Because the title suggests, they have an inclination to reside close to water, exhibiting an affinity for not solely lakes and rivers but additionally sewers, parks, and different metropolis waterways.
Monitor lizards can negatively influence native species corresponding to sea turtles, wading birds, gopher tortoises, and American crocodiles, they usually even pose a threat to livestock, in accordance the FWC, which has eliminated greater than 800 Nile screens from the state. Aland famous that the lizard she noticed was apparently properly fed. “It had a stomach hanging,” she mentioned. “My guess is it’s been right here a short while and consuming fairly properly.”
The division encourages folks to report observations to the Invasive Species Hotline at 888-IVE-GOT1 (483-4681), through the IVEGOT1 app or on-line at IveGot1.org. Clear photographs and/or video, together with the precise location are useful.
