Escaped 5-foot-long water monitor lizard spotted again wandering in Massachusetts
By Mike Toole
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WEBSTER, Massachusetts (WBZ) — There’s been a new sighting of the water monitor lizard that’s been wandering around parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut.
The five-foot-long lizard named Goose crawled out of a second-floor window of a home in Webster, Massachusetts back on Friday, July 18. Goose was being kept as a pet, but someone in the house left a window open and the lizard escaped.
The first reported sighting was a week later on July 25 in Thompson, Connecticut, about five miles south of Webster.
Goose’s latest appearance was on Wednesday, July 30 in Douglas, Massachusetts, according to Massachusetts Environmental Police.
“Officers responded to the area immediately, but unfortunately, the reptile was not located. We are working closely with reptile experts, Rain Forest Reptiles, to help us locate and capture the animal,” the agency said in a social media post. They also issued a new photo of the lizard.
Douglas is about 13 miles north of Thompson. It’s eight miles east of Webster.
Webster police said the owner got the lizard in New Hampshire earlier this summer, but Environmental Police said it’s illegal to have this type of reptile in Massachusetts unless you have a permit. The owner did not, authorities said.
According to experts, water monitor lizards love to travel and climb trees, and they are not dangerous to humans. But, if you see one, don’t try to capture it. Report it to Massachusetts Environmental Police at 800-632-8075 or Webster police at (508) 943-1212 extension 1240.
“We appreciate the public’s continued cooperation and ask that you help us spread awareness – not panic. Our goal is to safely recover the animal and ensure compliance with state wildlife laws,” Environmental Police said in a statement.
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