WYOMING COUNTY/4.5 foot lizard on the loose in Attica, call police if spotted, do not approach

Press release

On July 29, 2021 a resident was moving out of his apartment and while doing so, his 4 1/2-foot-long Nile Monitor Lizard escaped its cage. While attempting to recapture the reptile, the lizard climbed over 100 feet into a tree near the apartment building. Several attempts were made to recapture the lizard without success. The owner and animal control set several live traps to recapture the animal again without success.

The police department received unconfirmed reports over the next few days that the lizard had made it into the Tonawanda Creek. The Tonawanda Creek is located across the street from the apartment building. Today, at about 1:00 pm the police department was notified by a frantic resident that the lizard was found in her back yard in the 200 block of Exchange Street. The residence reported that the lizard had made its way into her back yard through a fence line. The rear of the residence is located along the Tonawanda Creek.

Upon arrival, and after an extensive search, the reptile could not be located. The homeowner was able to take a photo of the reptile, attached.

The police department is in contact with the New York State DEC and working to resolve the matter. In the meantime, if you see the animal contact the police department immediately. Do not approach it. The lizard will bite, it does secrete a venom however it is not fatal to humans. The main cause for concern would be bacterial infection from the bite.

The Nile Monitor Lizard requires temperatures ranging between 82-90 degrees and will warm itself in sunny areas. Its main source of food is small rodents and on occasion large mice and rats.