An explosion in the population of giant lizards in Bangkok is drawing a mixed reaction from officials and residents.
What's happening?
According to the Guardian, the monitor lizard population in Bangkok is surging. Lumphini Park, a popular recreational area in the heart of the city, is also home to around 400 of these giant lizards. Fortunately, they don't pose any real danger to people, and frequent visitors to the park don't have much trouble avoiding the adults. The juveniles are a little more of a problem. As one resident explained:
"The big ones are usually fine because they move quite slowly and you can kind of hop over. But the small ones can be quite fast. There have been a few times I've almost tripped over."
While some locals are pretty taken with the "Godzillas," others are concerned about the effects they are having on the city. Some monitors are encroaching on fishing spots, harassing livestock, and even trespassing into people's homes.
Why is monitoring monitor lizards important?
Extensive habitat destruction and rising global temperatures caused by human activity are driving wildlife into populated areas. There are benefits to urban rewilding projects, and some species do very well in cities. However, the monitor lizards in cities lack natural predators to keep their numbers in check.
In the wilderness, they're hunted by crocodiles, but those tend to be in short supply in downtown Bangkok. They breed quickly, with females laying 20 eggs at a time. As the article points out, their numbers quickly rebounded after several were relocated from the park. They're a bigger problem outside of their native range, as they'll hunt pretty much anything they can get their claws on.
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What's being done to manage conflicts between humans and lizards?
Ultimately, mitigating conflicts between residents and monitor lizards requires a combination of raising awareness and acting locally. They don't pose any serious threat to people, but if their population multiplies, they'll become a nuisance. In areas with high concentrations of monitor lizards, such as Singapore, authorities recommend leaving them alone and taking proactive steps to prevent them from entering homes.
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