The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsExpert: Monitor lizard captured in California is only one of two
AUG. 10, 2019 / 9:09 PM
By Ben Hooper
Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Authorities in California said a large monitor lizard spotted roaming a neighborhood for about a year has been captured -- but there's a second member of the species still on the loose.
Susan Nowicke, a reptile expert, said she captured the lizard Friday evening in an Escondido pond after it had been spotted multiple times during the past year swimming in various North County ponds.
- video at link -
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2019/08/10/Expert-Monitor-lizard-captured-in-California-is-only-one-of-two/2061565485428/
at140
(6,110 posts)They bite and their saliva has lethal bacteria, and the bitten animal gets fatally infected and dies. Then the monitor lizards devour the dying animal.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Oh, and mountain lions ...
I say leave the monitor lizards the hell alone, myself ...
lapfog_1
(29,166 posts)and mountain lions...
Monitor Lizards are not native to North America.
Humans have done enormous damage to the ecological systems by moving animals around (usually as pets or something).
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)That's reasonable to me ...
These animals however are far less dangerous (to people) than many, many native species.
Loki Liesmith
(4,602 posts)mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Not because they're horrible, dangerous creatures threatening the public.
Article says nothing about the captured animals being dangerous. There's dozen's of Monitor species, they're not all Komodo Dragons with the bacterial killer saliva.
They're almost surely there ... because someone had them as pets. As dumb as people are, very few are stupid enough to have poisonous reptiles as pets.
onethatcares
(16,130 posts)I had a python for a while but I couldn't get it to catch or retrieve a frisbee. Sheesh, it wouldn't even attempt it and as far as showing affection,trust me,snakes aren't at all like a ferret
at140
(6,110 posts)I defy you to find the word "kill" or "exterminate" monitor lizards.
Read again with focus, and you might conclude I was merely pointing out the risks involved with monitor lizards.
And...........as another brilliant poster pointed out those creatures don't belong in North America.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)But there are dozens of species of Monitors, most don't hunt by Komodo Dragon methods, possess deadly bacterial saliva, etc. People keep them as pets that's where these likely came from, got too big and were released or simply escaped.
I support relocating them for the reason that they're non-native. They aren't likely a danger to the public, but probably are to pets. Or maybe a baby I suppose.
at140
(6,110 posts)Peace & bravo!