Giant lizards up to seven feet long are invading some parts of Florida.
Wildlife groups are warning residents in Palm Beach and Broward counties to run if they see a Nile Monitor Lizard following a sharp rise in sightings.
The scary-looking predators are native to Africa and Asian – not the sunshine state – but experts say they have been kept as pets and set free in the past.
Their numbers are now multiplying at an alarming rate in canals amid the sub-tropical climate.
One five-foot long lizard is known to have slithered into one resident’s house through a dog flap.
People are being warned the creatures get nasty when captured – they have long tails that they can use like whips, sharp teeth and claws and typically prey on birds and small pets.
‘They can also run at speeds of 15mph and swim for one hour under water.
The concern is that these critters can not only be defensive when cornered, but they also threaten our native species and ecosystem,’ said Gabriella Ferraro, an spokesperson for Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC).
Residents are advised not to try to capture the lizards themselves.
‘This is a high-priority species for us,’ added Scott Hardin, coordinator of the FWC’s Exotic Species Coordination Section.
‘We plan to go after them aggressively to either try to eradicate them or suppress their numbers.’
