Latest news with #RainForestReptiles
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'Elusive' monitor lizard on the loose is back in Mass. after recently seen in Conn.
Goose, a five-foot-long water monitor lizard that escaped his home weeks ago and was recently spotted in Connecticut, has returned to the Bay State, Massachusetts Environmental Police said after they received a call on Wednesday. Officers went to the area where Goose was seen, but they could not find him, Environmental Police said in a statement on Thursday. 'We are working closely with reptile experts, Rain Forest Reptiles, to help us locate and capture the animal,' the statement added. The illegally owned reptile escaped the home in Webster on July 18, prompting Webster Animal Control to conduct a search of the area off Upper Gore Road. Officers called off the search and asked for the public's help in finding Goose. Webster Police Deputy Chief Gordon Wentworth told MassLive that the lizard was 'very elusive.' Then, on July 25, Goose was spotted walking in the area of Little Pond on Wilsonville and Thompson roads in Thompson, Connecticut, about five miles south of Webster. Environmental Police ask the public not to approach the lizard and not to try to capture it. Children and pets are to be kept away from potential hiding places, including brush, woodpiles and water edges. 'Water monitor lizards are illegal to possess in Massachusetts without a permit,' Environmental Police stated. 'This animal was being kept without proper authorization, and the Massachusetts Environmental Police are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding its possession and escape.' If anyone sees Goose, call Environmental Police at 800-632-8075 and press one, or call Webster Animal Control at 508-943-1212 ext. 1240. More Local Animal Stories Anonymous tip saved cat from abuse that broke his tail — now he needs a loving home Fire at a Mass. home started inside a snake enclosure in a bedroom Goose, 'elusive' monitor lizard on the loose from Webster, spotted in Conn. Read the original article on MassLive. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
01-08-2025
- General
- CBS News
Escaped 5-foot-long water monitor lizard spotted again wandering in Massachusetts
There's been a new sighting of the water monitor lizard that's been wandering around parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut. The five-foot-long lizard named Goose crawled out of a second-floor window of a home in Webster, Massachusetts back on Friday, July 18. Goose was being kept as a pet, but someone in the house left a window open and the lizard escaped. The first reported sighting was a week later on July 25 in Thompson, Connecticut, about five miles south of Webster. Goose's latest appearance was on Wednesday, July 30 in Douglas, Massachusetts, according to Massachusetts Environmental Police. "Officers responded to the area immediately, but unfortunately, the reptile was not located. We are working closely with reptile experts, Rain Forest Reptiles, to help us locate and capture the animal," the agency said in a social media post. They also issued a new photo of the lizard. Douglas is about 13 miles north of Thompson. It's eight miles east of Webster. Webster police said the owner got the lizard in New Hampshire earlier this summer, but Environmental Police said it's illegal to have this type of reptile in Massachusetts unless you have a permit. The owner did not, authorities said. According to experts, water monitor lizards love to travel and climb trees, and they are not dangerous to humans. But, if you see one, don't try to capture it. Report it to Massachusetts Environmental Police at 800-632-8075 or Webster police at (508) 943-1212 extension 1240. "We appreciate the public's continued cooperation and ask that you help us spread awareness - not panic. Our goal is to safely recover the animal and ensure compliance with state wildlife laws," Environmental Police said in a statement.
