Snake catcher shares more insight on Monitor Lizards
Monitor Lizards, also known as Nile Lizards, are the largest lizard species in South Africa.
DURBAN snake catcher Nick Evans responded to a call to remove three Water Monitor Lizards last Friday.
Evans rescued three and said it was the most he had ever caught in a day on separate calls.
“One was in a tree, one was in a swimming pool and one had been chased around a garden by dogs.
Also read: Snake catcher removes three Black Mambas in Westville
“These large lizards are excellent climbers; they are built for swimming (with their rudder-like tail), and they are extremely fast runners!” said Evan.
Caxton Local Media reached out to the Durban snake catcher to find out interesting facts and myths about this species which is the largest lizard in South Africa.
He mentioned that he has been rescuing and relocating Monitor Lizards since he started doing snake removals, ‘either because residents are scared or because they are worried about the lizard’s well-being, or both’.
Also known as Nile Lizards, people often mistakenly refer to these large lizards as Iguanas. Evans said that while they look similar, Iguanas are a different species of lizard not found in Africa.
“Due to their size, Monitor Lizards are often mistaken for crocodiles! A lot of people are scared of Monitor Lizards due to their impressive size. Adults in Durban can grow up to 1.5m or more in length – even close to 2m. At that length, they could weigh 5–8kg. However, there is no need to fear these lizards. They will not attack people and are absolutely terrified of us,” said Evans.
What to do when you see them?
Evans said people should not attempt to handle one, though. If handled, these lizards are capable of scratching and biting – they have a strong bite force – and will empty their bowels on anyone who handles them, which is arguably their most ‘painful’ method of self-defence.
They are quite famous for their ability to defend themselves with their tail. It is believed that their tail can break our bones, but it can’t. It’s much like a slap and nothing of concern.
Again, do not try to capture one, for safety and legal reasons. Even if you tried, Monitors are incredibly fast runners and usually get away from people.
Where will you find them?
The common name, ‘Water Monitor’, refers to this lizard’s aquatic habits. They are usually seen along rivers, streams and dams. Or, they may hang around a swimming pool, especially those that have turned green. This species has a rudder-like tail and is an excellent swimmer. They can spend an incredibly long time underwater, from a few minutes to, allegedly, up to an hour!
While they may prefer to spend their time around water, they will venture far from water, hundreds of metres away, for various reasons. We find them in some weird places, sometimes far from water. They’re excellent climbers, too, and occasionally go into ceilings.
What do they feed on?
Monitor Lizards are powerful predators, overpowering anything smaller than them. They feed on crabs, fish, rodents, snakes, insects and other small animals. So, they are very beneficial to the environment.
“I often encourage people to leave them in the garden if they do not have dogs. In Durban, there isn’t too much left that would take on an adult, except a Crowned Eagle or a Python – in the few, wild areas where Pythons occur. Juveniles will be eaten by a variety of animals.
What are the threats they face?
Evans said Monitor Lizards are frequently killed by people for food, or to sell for a variety of reasons or out of fear.
“This is illegal as it is a protected species. It is also illegal to sell live ones or keep one as a pet.”
He said many people worry about these lizards attacking their dogs.
“I have responded to many calls about Monitor Lizards being attacked by dogs but never the other way around. They are scared of dogs. I’ve never seen any dogs wounded from attacking a lizard, surprisingly, apart from one dog sustaining a small scratch on its nose. Monitor Lizards very rarely survive dog attacks. Please, if you see a Monitor Lizard in your garden, keep your dogs away from it.”
He added that a number of Monitor Lizards are run over annually in Durban, either intentionally or accidentally.
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