Nile monitor lizard caught in Suwon new town after 11-day search

A 70-centimeter Nile monitor lizard that had been spotted along walking trails in Gwangyo new town in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, alarming local residents, was captured Saturday after an 11-day search.

Suwon city officials and fire authorities caught the lizard at 11:37 a.m. near a stream by the Hongjae Library in the Gwangyo Wellbeing Town area, according to the city and Yonhap.

The capture came 11 days after the first media reports of a large lizard sighting on Aug. 11. No one was injured during the operation.

A worker clearing weeds along the stream first spotted the lizard and called police. City and fire officials then responded and caught the animal using nets.

The city plans to send the lizard to the National Institute of Biological Resources for a final check to confirm whether it is the Nile monitor reported missing.

If confirmed, authorities intend to return the animal to its reported owner, a man in his 30s identified only by the surname initial A.

Meanwhile, police have been conducting a preliminary investigation into A on suspicion of violating the Wildlife Protection Act.