Overview
- A property manager reported a large reptile left by former tenants in an Alameda residence, prompting a police and animal control response after an initial call described a Komodo dragon.
- Officers identified the animal as a young Ornate Nile monitor, a species with a powerful bite, sharp claws and a forceful tail capable of causing injuries.
- An animal control officer used a handling snare to guide the lizard from a window and later secured it in a crate for transport.
- Police delivered the reptile to the East Bay Vivarium in Berkeley, where the shop’s co-owner said it was sold about a week later to a regular customer known to staff.
- Alameda police called such cases very uncommon and said this was the first encounter of this species for their teams, noting the animal’s specialized care needs and large enclosure requirements.