Durban — The remnants of a freshwater crab in Nile monitor lizard excretion have shed light on what the protected species eats.
This was according to Durban snake catcher Nick Evans who recently received a few calls for the reptile.
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Evans said that the Nile/water monitors were still surviving around Durban, despite many threats in the form of people, dogs, cars, etc. and he had received a few calls of late for the “misunderstood” reptile.
“I say misunderstood for a few reasons. Firstly, they’re often confused for crocodiles, they are not. Secondly, they’re often perceived to be a threat, which they aren’t. These lizards will not attack you, although should you attempt to grab one, it can defend itself in a painful but non-deadly way. I’ve never heard of a pet being attacked here,” Evans said.
He said that on Friday, he rescued a lizard in Mt. Edgecombe. It was hiding behind a water tank in a built-up area.
“With the help of Stuart Morrison, we managed to capture the 92cm specimen and relocate it. Very pretty animal. Still fairly young,” Evans said.
He said that the lizard that excreted was captured in Westville North.
“It then made a tremendous mess in the box. Among all the pooh, was the remains of freshwater crabs. Nice to get proof of what they’re eating!” Evans said.
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He said they also eat snakes, rodents, small creatures, eggs, birds and reptiles.
“As you can see, that specimen has seen a lot. It was an old-looking animal, around 1.4m if I recall, with loads of bumps and scars, including a portion of the tail missing. It does not grow back,” Evans said.
He also said that data was collected from it before its release.
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Evans added that Nile lizards are a protected species. It is illegal to kill, keep or sell the animal.
He also said that he was assisting a University of KwaZulu-Natal researcher on a project involving the species.
“So if you see any around Durban, please let me know. Even if it’s just a photo from a sighting you had, with a location and date, it’s useful,” Evans said.
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