"Too Fast to Catch": 1-Meter Nile Monitor Lizard Eludes Capture for Over Ten Days

Spotted on Walking Path... Capture Traps Installed
City Plans to Request Net Gun from National Institute of Ecology

A 1-meter-long large lizard that appeared on a walking path in Gwanggyo New Town, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, has gone uncaptured for ten days. This lizard is believed to be a Nile monitor lizard native to West Africa.

According to Yonhap News Agency on August 20, the city of Suwon has been searching for the 1-meter-long Nile monitor lizard that appeared near the Gwanggyo Well-Being Town apartment complex for nearly ten days.

The lizard was first reported on August 11, and despite ongoing efforts by authorities, it has not yet been found. Suwon officials installed seven capture traps containing bait such as raw chicken and rats in grassy areas near Hongjae Library and along the Soejukgolcheon walking trail, but these efforts have not yielded results.

Nile monitor lizard discovered in Gwanggyo, Suwon, Gyeonggi. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The city has deployed temporary workers to the site to conduct daily searches in the surrounding area and to check the condition of the capture traps. On the day the news was first reported, the city and fire authorities conducted a joint search for about three hours, but were unsuccessful in capturing the lizard. Since then, even though there was a surge of 119 reports from citizens claiming to have seen the Nile monitor lizard during the search, there have been no new tips since August 14.

On August 19, a city official searching the site spotted the Nile monitor lizard, but it escaped quickly, and the capture attempt failed once again.

Moving lizard. Photo by Yonhap News

As a result, the city has decided to request a net gun—a capture device for wild animals—from the National Institute of Ecology. A city official told Yonhap News Agency, "Since the animal was spotted near Soejukgolcheon, it is believed to still be inhabiting the area. We will continue the daily search going forward."

The individual identified as the original owner of the Nile monitor lizard, referred to as A, is currently being investigated by the police for potential violations of the Wildlife Protection Act. The police plan to verify whether A is indeed the actual owner of the lizard, among other facts.

The Nile monitor lizard is native to regions such as West Africa, and adults can reach lengths of 1.5 to 2 meters. It is known to be mainly active during the day and is mildly venomous. It prefers shady, cool forests and feeds on small animals such as fish, frogs, and rats.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.