ELOY, Ariz. — An Asian water monitor more than 5 feet long was captured in Eloy Tuesday. Russ Johnson, of the Phoenix Herpetological Society, and other PHS volunteers found signs of the lizard living near a canal after hearing several reports from irrigation workers and nearby residents. “As we looked, we saw areas with fresh digs and tail drag,” said Dan Marchand, also of PHS. Marchand said they started to poke around in the area where they saw the tracks and within a few minutes spotted the tail of the lizard deep in a burrow.”It took about an hour to dig him out,” said Johnson.Marchand identified the animal as an Asian water monitor, a species that is non-native to Arizona. He said it was most likely a pet that got loose or was dumped. He estimated it had been living in the desert several months, based on the condition of the lizard.”He’s a little thin. His tail area should be fatter,” said Marchand. “These animals have instinct like no other,” said Marchand, noting that the lizard found a home near water, and thus rodents. “They find what they need to survive.”Kirk Weddle, a farmer in Eloy, heard about the lizard through an irrigation district worker. “He was telling the guys at the shop he found an alligator or dragon or something in the water and everyone said, ‘What’s wrong with you, David?’ and everyone laughed,” said Weddle.”I was afraid someone would try to make a pair of boots out of him,” said Weddle. “That would be the easiest thing to do — turn him into a pair of boots or a hat band. He probably deserved better than that.”The monitor is now recovering at the PHS sanctuary. PHS volunteers said they named the lizard “Vaca,” which is the nickname of the irrigation district employee who first spotted the creature.
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