A Walker man is looking for his lizard.
The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is looking into the incident; a spokesman said investigators are working to determine if any laws or regulations were broken when the lizard was released, and also if any were broken by his possession of the species.
In Florida, for instance, the Nile monitor is listed as a Conditional Species, prohibiting personal possession and requiring a permit to possess or import this species by licensed dealers, public exhibitors or researchers that meet certain criteria and biosecurity measures.
WBRZ reportsthat Michael Lauraine says his half-foot long Nile monitor lizard was last seen on Saturday. Lauraine posted on his Facebook page and a missing pets Facebook page Monday about the lizard, asking people to help find him.
"The more time that passes by, the bigger he will get and the more dangerous he will become," he said. Lauraine says the lizard will attack and urges whoever finds the lizard to not touch him.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission requests that any sightings of the animals in the wild be reported. The page about the species indicates that they have been known to attack small pets and livestock, like chickens. To read about it, click here.
