Huge water monitor lizard surprises swimmers at Thai beach

[webfact]

video screenshot

 

People at a beach in Thailand were shocked by the appearance of a 5 foot water monitor lizard which entered the water and casually swam beside them.

 

The appearance of the lizard on Koh Hong island in Krabi was caught on video.

 

And it’s apparently not the first the lizard has swam alongside humans.

 

Beachgoers in Thailand were shocked when a 5-foot monitor lizard joined them for an afternoon swim. pic.twitter.com/RXG3epYThG

— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) April 20, 2021

 

Local park officials say the male lizard is known to them and often visits the beach to feed on scraps of food.

 

Officials said that while a degree of caution should be exercised when close to any wild animal, this particular lizard is generally friendly and poses little risk to beachgoers.

 

This is the second time in as many weeks where an encounter with a monitor lizard has made the news in Thailand.

 

Earlier this month, a remarkable video which went viral on social media, showed a monitor lizard causing havoc inside a 7-Eleven store.

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-04-21

 

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[BritManToo]

Fairly common down South,

Here's one my misses was playing with on the beach a few years back.

 

[FitnessHealthTravel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Koh Hong island in Krabi

An Island only accessible by boat and classified as part of a National Park. Why would you not expect something like that to happen?

[PETERTHEEATER]

'Huge' = 5 feet.

I must remember that for future comparisons. 

I am 5 feet and 8 inches tall so I am really huge. My smugness will last all day.

[ThailandRyan]

4 minutes ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

'Huge' = 5 feet.

I must remember that for future comparisons. 

I am 5 feet and 8 inches tall so I am really huge. My smugness will last all day.

They were discussing it being 5 feet long, like a trouser snake not your height....????

[mrfill]

26 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

They were discussing it being 5 feet long, like a trouser snake not your height....????

Unlike the trouser snake, water monitors often grow to 5ft and quite a lot more.

[ThailandRyan]

6 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Unlike the trouser snake, water monitors often grow to 5ft and quite a lot more.

So he is the small John "Water Monitor" Holmes then, nice to know he was reincarnated.  They have some seriously big ones at Lumpini park.  We run into them when we run on the inner trails with the large lake surrounding the island.

[Cake Monster]

9 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Unlike the trouser snake, water monitors often grow to 5ft and quite a lot more.

Just a Baby one taking a bath.

[bangon04]

"it’s apparently not the first the lizard has swam alongside humans."

 

but usually they end up in a cooking pot, not on Facebook.....

[toofarnorth]

Biggest lizard we get is the noisy Tokay , my cat looks at it like it could be a nice meal when it appears every night looking for bugs.  A monitor would prove too much.

[sammieuk1]

If he swims back it will be 14 days in ASQ at his own expense????