Alameda Police Department (APD) dispatchers recently got a call reporting a Komodo dragon inside of someone’s home and went out to the scene to investigate, according to a Facebook report [1] posted on Monday, January 12.
[2]Not knowing what to expect, APD dispatched both police and animal control officers to investigate, the report stated. Once on scene, they learned that a large reptile had been left behind by former tenants.
“Due to the reptile’s size and aggression, our team devised a plan to safely secure the animal,” APD stated.
As it turned out, what had been reported as a Komodo dragon was later identified as a young Ornate Nile Monitor. This species can grow up to 7 feet in length. They have powerful bites, strong claws, and forceful tails that can cause injuries. For these reasons, Ornate Nile Monitors are not suitable for beginner reptile keepers and are never appropriate pets for children.
Komodo dragons are a type of monitor lizard, but they are a lot bigger. In fact, Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world—they can reach up to 10 feet in length and can weigh up to 300 pounds, according to the San Diego Zoo [3]. They exclusively live in Indonesia.
“We’re happy to report that the Monitor is now in good hands with our friends at the East Bay Vivarium,” APD reported.