a few questions regarding MONITOR LIZARD at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve...


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newmemberz

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Last week I went to Sungei Buloh and met a few small monitor lizard on the trekking path.
So, we just walk away slowly and keep on going.

But then the scary part is that we saw a BIG, a really BIG monitor lizard about 3 metres long on the walkway path. It was running away when it heard us coming and it run damn fast. We were shock and scared at the same time as I was going there with my little cousins as well.

Question is that,
is this lizard poisonous?
is this lizard possible to attack people (coz as far as i know this lizard is a carnivore)?
what to do if we encounter this monitor lizard? (running definitely won't help as it can run faster).
 

1) poisonous or not, i dunno

2) BUT for whether it attacks people, i can give u a 100% confirm + chop + guarantee + lifetime money back guarantee that it WILL attack people!!!!

Got 1 time my friend tried to touch the lizard, so he move very close to the lizard and extend out his hand, and guess wat, the lizard whipped his tail onto my friend's leg. Of course everyone there was shocked, and my friend said that the whip is ok la, just feel like a tree branch moderately whacking you...

I know that it uses the tail to whip, but i m not sure if it bites.
 

For those who don't know monitor lizard, here's a few references.

http://www.pbase.com/dbehrens/image/28519176

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monitor_lizard

800px-Nile_Monitor.jpg
 

this is the pic of my friend immediately kena whipped by the lizard (its a "baby" lizard compared to the one u have here)

DSC_01132.jpg
 

1) poisonous or not, i dunno

2) BUT for whether it attacks people, i can give u a 100% confirm + chop + guarantee + lifetime money back guarantee that it WILL attack people!!!!

Got 1 time my friend tried to touch the lizard, so he move very close to the lizard and extend out his hand, and guess wat, the lizard whipped his tail onto my friend's leg. Of course everyone there was shocked, and my friend said that the whip is ok la, just feel like a tree branch moderately whacking you...

I know that it uses the tail to whip, but i m not sure if it bites.


wahlaue.... ur friend dare to touch?
small one ar?
 

wahlaue.... ur friend dare to touch?
small one ar?

haha..ya...small one in the pic above :) He wanted to find out how the skin texture feels like.. and also because it crawl so slow, it gives the illusion of being harmless..

If its the big one, i think it is able to swallow me up..

U very lucky leh... can see a 3m BIG lizard... the biggest i seen is arnd 1.5m in sungei buloh..
 

haha..ya...small one in the pic above :)

If its the big one, i think it is able to swallow me up..

I saw a few smaller one in the walkway path.
quite smaller than u have there in the pics.

After ur friend kena whipped where did it go?
Does it give any sign going to bite when ur friend tried to touch?

Haiz... where got lucky?!!
I never wish to encounter a big one in radius in about 5 metres.
Look from far away ok lah..... but 5 metres wahlaue... Heart pumping u know....
 

I saw a few smaller one in the walkway path.
quite smaller than u have there in the pics.

After ur friend kena whipped where did it go?
Does it give any sign going to bite when ur friend tried to touch?

The lizard never go anywhere, it just stayed there. It was my friend who go away. After whipping my friend, it signals its "threat" & "get ur ass off me" by constantly raising and sweeping its tail left and right.

Before that, when my friend approach the lizard by walking upfront, it remain still, just like it used to. But when my friend's finger was about 10cm away from the body, i believe the lizard finally sensed something wrong, and then whacked my friend.. Its really slow in reaction...very "dilly dally"

Actually the lizard looks scary but it won't go and bother u if u dun bother it in the first place... so relax... relax...

IF see crocodile, then different story liao :D
 

1. NO It's Not Poisounous... Unlike It's Cousin The Komodo Dragon

2. No It Dosent Attack People.... Definitely Not... Seriously... You'll Never See A Monitor Chasing Humans For No Reason.... You Disturb You Get It... It's Their Natural Instinct.... But To Attack Ppl For No Reason... WONT HAPPEN... So No Worries.... ;)
 

1. NO It's Not Poisounous... Unlike It's Cousin The Komodo Dragon

2. No It Dosent Attack People.... Definitely Not... Seriously... You'll Never See A Monitor Chasing Humans For No Reason.... You Disturb You Get It... It's Their Natural Instinct.... But To Attack Ppl For No Reason... WONT HAPPEN... So No Worries.... ;)


the local monitor lizard are all quite harmless. komodo dragon saliva got some effect when it bite the victims if i remember right.

saw once a really big one like you saw in which is really big when i was young and staying Lim Chu Kang with my grandparent. it was really huge and about 3m long.

luckily it was under a bridge when i saw it cos my cousin and i was walking home and we are the only ppl on the road and if it gonna wack or chase us .. dun think we can outrun it.
 

luckily it was under a bridge when i saw it cos my cousin and i was walking home and we are the only ppl on the road and if it gonna wack or chase us .. dun think we can outrun it.

The lizard is so fat, and its skin is so thick and heavy...if run, sure can run away from it :D
 

the local monitor lizard are all quite harmless. komodo dragon saliva got some effect when it bite the victims if i remember right.

saw once a really big one like you saw in which is really big when i was young and staying Lim Chu Kang with my grandparent. it was really huge and about 3m long.

luckily it was under a bridge when i saw it cos my cousin and i was walking home and we are the only ppl on the road and if it gonna wack or chase us .. dun think we can outrun it.

Yup.. The Saliva Has More Than 50different Bacteria Than Can Kill Slowly...
 

Well the monitor lizards at SBWR are quite harmless really...most of them try to run away as soon as your approach them lol. The biggest I seen is ard 1.5-1.8m long.

There are other more dangerous creatures lurking at SBWR..there are 2 or 3 crocs spotted along the main river (sometimes if lucky you can spot them from the main bridge over the river), and also this.
 

The monitor lizards are not known to be poisonous, althought their bites (as with many other wild animals) may result in secondary infections.

Wild animals DO NOT like to be touched or handled, or even be too close to humans. If you try to do that, it's only natural that they react defensively, whether by biting or whipping. Don't blame the animal. And in any natural area such as Sungei Buloh or the reservoir parks, it's only common sense that young children are supervised AT ALL TIMES and instructed NOT to disturb the animals.

If you encounter a lizard and have no interest in photographing it, simply back away and it's most likely that the animal will want to get away from you above all else.
 

Yup.. The Saliva Has More Than 50different Bacteria Than Can Kill Slowly...

There are only 2 known species of venomous lizards and they are the Gila Monster and Bearded Lizard, both found in the Americas I think..

Technically, the Komodo Dragon is not poisonous, it's the bacterial brew that kills by overwhelming the unfortunate victims immune system.. I wouldn't wanna get bitten by any of them, pref grab a LONG lens for standoff shooting..
 

The monitor lizards are not known to be poisonous, althought their bites (as with many other wild animals) may result in secondary infections.

Wild animals DO NOT like to be touched or handled, or even be too close to humans. If you try to do that, it's only natural that they react defensively, whether by biting or whipping. Don't blame the animal. And in any natural area such as Sungei Buloh or the reservoir parks, it's only common sense that young children are supervised AT ALL TIMES and instructed NOT to disturb the animals.

If you encounter a lizard and have no interest in photographing it, simply back away and it's most likely that the animal will want to get away from you above all else.

Well said.

If anyone insists on being foolish and tries to push their luck with wild (or even tame) animals, then don't blame the animal for doing what comes most naturally - biting or attacking. Any creature with a mouth has the ability to bite. So don't bother asking silly questions like "Will it bite?"

Moniter lizards are naturally shy and would prefer to keep away from humans. They will almost never chase ppl, and will only retaliate if it can't flee. They are not poisonous as mentioned, but like their bigger cousins komodo dragons, their saliva does contain lots of bacteria as a result of feeding on carrion. So bites from moniters may lead to infections or even blood poisoning (which is what some ppl deserve).

Give wild animals their space, and they won't bother you.
 

Eh...

please note. Poisonous refers to if it's meat contains poison or not. So if you're not gonna eat it, you wouldn't need to know about it's poisonous nature or not. ;)

Venomous on the other hand refers to it's ability to inject venom into a victim by means of teeth, fangs or stings.

And, having eaten the monitor lizard. I can safely say that it's not poisonous, nor is it venomous.


regards,
 

Well said.

If anyone insists on being foolish and tries to push their luck with wild (or even tame) animals, then don't blame the animal for doing what comes most naturally - biting or attacking. Any creature with a mouth has the ability to bite. So don't bother asking silly questions like "Will it bite?"

Moniter lizards are naturally shy and would prefer to keep away from humans. They will almost never chase ppl, and will only retaliate if it can't flee. They are not poisonous as mentioned, but like their bigger cousins komodo dragons, their saliva does contain lots of bacteria as a result of feeding on carrion. So bites from moniters may lead to infections or even blood poisoning (which is what some ppl deserve).

Give wild animals their space, and they won't bother you.


This I definitely agree. We often accuse many animals of attacking humans when it is us who invades into their space in the first place.

Wild animals are not pets who are used to human contact, while our intentions are only to "touch and feel" them, the animals will instinctively defend themselves.

So lets just appreciate them at a respectable distance.
 

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