Huge invasive Asian monitor lizard that eats cats and dogs is filmed running across Florida road by frightened onlookers

A mother-daughter duo were stopped in their tracks while driving in Florida after they spotted a nearly six-foot-long Asian monitor lizard on the side of the road. 

Renee Aland and Zoey Marzonie were driving down Hillsborough Boulevard near Bamboo Drive when they saw the ‘gator-like' creature. 

‘So my mom was like, “I'm going to turn around”,' Marzonie said. 

‘I look, and I see what I think is a gator. When we got closer, I looked and I saw his tongue, lizard tongue coming out, and I was like, “Oh crap, that's not a gator,”‘ Aland laughingly told NBC2. 

‘It was like this big lizard, and I've seen something before like it. Have you heard of the show Jessie for Disney Channel? It was like that big lizard in Jessie.'

‘It was just strolling. It was huge, at least four to five feet. It was pretty crazy. I wanted to get out and get closer, I was like, “What is that?” I wanted to see it but she said, “No, stay in the car,”‘ Marzonie recalled. 

After Aland sent videos of the lizard to the Florida Wildlife Commission, the agency  confirmed that the animal was a non-native Asian water monitor lizard and was estimated to be five feet long. 

‘Monitor lizards are considered high-priority species for the FWC’s Nonnative Fish and Wildlife Program,' the agency said. 

‘Our biologists are still gathering information related to sightings of this animal to determine potential response efforts and will continue monitoring. We encourage people to report observations to our Invasive Species Hotline at 888-IVE-GOT1 (483-4681), via the IVEGOT1 app or online at IveGot1.org,' the FWC added. 

According to the agency, Nile monitors are olive green to black in color and have cream-colored or yellow stripes on the jaw and head. 

They are known to be generalist feeders and hunt for prey on the surface, below ground, in trees and in fresh and saltwater.

Apart from crabs, frogs, turtles, snakes and young crocodiles, the monitor lizard also preys on pet cats and dogs. 

Despite not being native to the state, South Florida’s extensive canal system has long acted as a dispersal corridors for the species, which tends to inhabit water edges.

Researchers believe populations of Nile monitors in Florida comes from intentional and unintentional releases of captive animals. 

The Nile monitor’s high reproduction rate, diverse diet and ability to travel over land and in fresh and saltwater has long acted as a threat to livestock such as chickens and small animals in the state.