Mad rush to save injured lizard

REPTILE rescuer and snake removal expert, Nick Evans, rushed to the Riverside Veterinary Clinic in Durban North yesterday in a desperate attempt to save one of Durban’s most illusive creatures – the monitor lizard.

According to a post shared on the KwaZulu-Natal Amphibian and Reptile Conservation’s Facebook page, the injured creature was found in the garden of a Shongweni resident.

Evans immediately noticed that the animal was in dire straights as it reportedly did not flee when he approached it, which is out of the ordinary.

“I could see something was seriously wrong when we walked right up to it while it was hiding in a bush. Normally these animals shoot off into the bush or water at great speed,” the post read.

Once Evans had captured the one-metre-long monitor, he noticed puncture wounds and lacerations across the lizard’s body. It is suspected that the monitor was attacked by its natural predator, the crowned eagle. One of the more serious wounds was spotted at the chest area.

“When I was holding it, I could feel air on my hand coming out of the chest area. I knew then this animal was in critical condition. There was a deep puncture going into the lungs. We quickly patched it up with a bandage and I raced off to Riverside Vet in Durban North. It was a horrible drive, as I could see the poor lizard gasping for air and closing it’s eyes. It was heartbreaking to see the pain this poor animal was experiencing,” he wrote.

At the clinic, Dr Dr Kerry Easson assessed the monitor, patched its wounds and injected it with painkillers and antibiotics.

The monitor was kept for overnight observation, butunfortunately it didn’t survive the night.

“A very, very sad ending. Such a magnificent and impressive animal, but that’s nature. It can be cruel and harsh sometimes, but that’s what makes it incredible,” added Evans.

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