Monitor lizards a growing problem

[faze]

NBC2 News
Posted on: Wednesday, October 20, 2004

COLLIER COUNTY — They eat pets, can bite your hand off, and are covered with bacteria – monitor lizards are already a big problem in Cape Coral, and now there are concerns that the reptiles are becoming more common in Collier County as well.

At Caribbean Gardens in Naples, they're used to showing off animals that are not native to Florida. What they're not used to is catching the non-natives in our own backyards.

David Tetzlaff displayed a three and a half foot white throat or black throat monitor lizard to NBC2 Wednesday. It's a slightly different species than the Nile monitors found in Cape Coral, but it's no less dangerous – and when fully grown can be six feet long.

"This animal can take a digit off. When it's six feet long, it can eat your dog, it'll eat your cat. They're large, dangerous predators, these monitor lizards, Tetzlaff said.

"They have documented that monitor lizards are breeding up in Lee County," he said. "If one found a female or male, it could start breeding just like iguanas have."

Wildlife watchers desperately hope monitor lizards do not become like the non-native green iguanas. The battle against them has largely been lost.

"It's pretty much accepted now that in Florida, you're going to see green iguanas," said Jonnie Gove of Caribbean Gardens.

Besides being a danger to people and pets, the monitor lizards could hurt Florida's ecosystem and kill off native animals.

Although the monitor Caribbean Gardens showed NBC2 was found in Golden Gate Estates, a largely rural area, there've been reports of them in more populated areas like Bayshore in East Naples.

Wildlife experts assume the lizards were pets that have been let go – something the zoo hopes won't continue.

"This is not a pet. This is a wild animal," Tetzlaff said.

Experts say that if you see a monitor lizard in the wild, the first thing to do is get away. Then call the sheriff's office, the zoo or Florida Fish & Wildlife – they will be able to determine what to do next.

Monitor lizards are also growing problem in Cape Coral. They can grow up to seven feet long and weigh around 50 pounds.

Biologist say there could be thousands of them all over the city. A team of biologists from Cape Coral are working with the University of Tampa to study the lizards' habits and figure out how to control them.

[faze]

lmao i live in cape coral

[herpbreakout]

if i see a monitor,1st thing to do is get away???man 1st thing ill do is wonder which enclosure ima keep him in!

[Reptscue]

Originally Posted by faze

lmao i live in cape coral

Me too....

[midgardserpent]

i live in fort myers, and go to the zoo in naples, i never saw monitors!!!! i went looking the only place i really saw anything was at the one in bonita springs, now that this is happening, they are goning to pass some out of control law about having reptiles that get over 6ft, i have a burm, who is wonderful, and meets all of the requirments for his care, no this and the iggy thing, they are going to mess it up for everyone eles, and in golden gate, big foot is out there, everything is, i even saw homeless men there!!!

	Iguana Iguana

[lisagordier]

Originally Posted by faze

COLLIER COUNTY — They eat pets, can bite your hand off, and are covered with bacteria – monitor lizards are already a big problem in Cape Coral, and now there are concerns that the reptiles are becoming more common in Collier County as well.

Am I to assume that they're trying to compare these monitors to Komodo Dragons? Of course a dragon could, and probably would, eat you if it had a good chance to. But it's well know that Komodo's have "killer" bacteria. That was, at least, my first thought. And then I thought, well a 50 pound lizard isn't really that big a deal. Not when you consider what it COULD be.

[chrispaine]

ya its just more stupid people, if you think about it. You know that there are more dangerous dogs around a large town like that.. but yet what’s their focus? Monitors. im sure a lot more people will be injured/killed from dogs this year then monitors!! and hey, I bet the monitors might even help with the dog problem cause the might be a prey item depending on the size of the dog. And if you ask me, from what I have seen in monitors.. most would bolt if you were to see them... they would rater run away then eat ya.

[lisagordier]

yep. And my next thought. Wouldn't they have more problems with gators than monitors?

[Gaara and Sai]

Originally Posted by herpbreakout

if i see a monitor,1st thing to do is get away???man 1st thing ill do is wonder which enclosure ima keep him in!

Oh man, i could not agree more that made me laugh so hard.....

[Troy_rayver]

whiners!!!!!!!! go cry me a river....they sit here and whine about monitors and burmeses' and they have alligators....i guess some people....not the ones on this site or thier immedeate family are either burnt out on shrooms or they just have a stick up thier butt that was shoved in sideways

[Brandon27]

The local journalist needed something to fill a column and pet-eating reptiles always gets attention. One man's quest for the history-making article fails once again.