Spotted this offbeat item in the NST today.

The two monitor lizards that ran wild in the city centre before being caught by a hawker yesterday evening. The reptiles were later taken away by a man and what happened to them after that is not known.

JOHOR BARU: Workers cleaning a drain near the Johor Baru Central police station on Wednesday found more than just rubbish.

When the drain cover was lifted, they discovered two monitor lizards inside.
The animals, measuring about 1.5 metres each, bolted while the workers fled in the 6pm incident.

The lizards roamed free in the city centre for some time, causing a stir among the rush- hour crowd.

Raymond Wong, who works in Singapore, said he spotted the lizards as he was about to go to a money changer.

“I have seen many rats in the city’s back lanes but this was the first time I have come across monitor lizards.

“Luckily, they were not aggressive.”

The lizards were caught by a hawker who tied them to a fence. Soon after, the spot was thronged by passers-by who wanted to take a closer look at the animals.

The hawker, who declined to be named, said the reptiles might have entered the city from the Johor Strait before seeking refuge in the drain.

He later gave away the reptiles to a man.A money changer said the local authority should clean all the drains in the city.”Running through the city centre is the polluted Sungai Segget. I believe the lizards must have entered the drains from the river.”

Monitor lizards are mainly found in burrows built near river banks.

Feeding on crabs, snakes and other small animals, the reptiles run faster than humans as they have powerful leg muscles. A monitor’s bite can be painful as the reptile has powerful jaws.