A monitor lizard (Varanus Bengalensis) was spotted in the house of a board member of World Wide Funds for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) in Lahore Cantonment, which was carefully captured and later released in the Lahore Safari Park.
While releasing the reptile into the park, Deputy Director Safari Park Rana Shahbaz was also present with the hope that the lizard would find the suitable habitat in the park. The reptile was a 1.25m long adult and was reported to be in a healthy state as confirmed by the Lahore Safari Zoo authorities.
Stating the importance of monitor lizard in the ecosystem, Rana Shahbaz said the lizard is carnivorous feeding on insects, small terrestrial vertebrates, ground birds, eggs and fish but some of its species are also known to eat fruit as well.
He further said most of the people have misunderstanding regarding monitor lizards that it is dangerous, however it is not and is a non-poisonous reptile so people should not get afraid from it. He thanked WWF-P for its efforts to save wildlife and said that everyone should have a positive attitude towards wildlife as 'love for the wild should be encouraged'.
The monitor lizards are generally large reptiles, however some can be as small as 20 centimetres in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws helping it to climb on trees as well. They lay eggs from 7 to 37 in number, which they often cover with soil or protect in a hollow tree stump.
They are found in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, China, Africa, Australia and on the islands of the Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
The monitor lizard is Least Concerned (LC) according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), however in Pakistan the loss and degradation of lowland forest habitat through conversion of land for agriculture use and logging operations are threats to this lizard. The monitor lizard is protected throughout the year under the third schedule of Punjab Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation and Management) Act 1974.