1-Meter-Long Lizard Appears at Gwanggyo Apartment Complex in Suwon

▲ The large lizard spotted in Gwanggyo

Amid a recent series of urban appearances by internationally endangered or ecosystem-disruptive species, a large lizard has now startled residents in the Gwanggyo New Town of Suwon, Gyeonggi Province.

According to media reports on August 11, a lizard estimated to be about 1 meter in length appeared earlier this month on a walking path at an apartment complex in the Wellbing Town area of Gwanggyo New Town.

The lizard, presumed to be an Asian water monitor, which is a Class II endangered species internationally, flicked its tongue, looked around, and then crossed a wooden deck into the bushes and disappeared.

An 18-second video capturing the lizard was reportedly shared among residents of Wellbing Town.

The resident who provided the video stated, "It is a video that has been shared among neighborhood people since the 7th," adding, "Everyone was shocked to see a large lizard roaming around."

Neighboring residents are also reporting continuous sightings of creatures believed to be a lizard.

One resident said, "A few days ago in broad daylight, while taking a walk near the location in the video, I witnessed the long tail of some creature moving inside the bushes," adding, "It is very similar to the tail of the lizard in the video, so I think I probably saw the same lizard."

A library is located tens of meters away and an elementary school is about 300 meters away from the spot where the lizard appeared, raising concerns about children's safety.

In residents' group chat rooms, concerned reactions are emerging, such as "Did someone abandon their pet lizard?", "(Asian water monitors) are said to be venomous," and "What if children get bitten?"

It was learned that no reports of a lizard sighting in the Gwanggyo New Town area had been filed with the police or fire authorities as of August 10.

Meanwhile, on July 18, a Siamese crocodile—a Class I internationally endangered species—was found and captured along the Soyang River in Yeoju, and on August 9, a turtle about 30 centimeters in length, presumed to be an ecosystem-disturbing species, was discovered in a drainage ditch at a resort in Gijang-gun, Busan.

(Photo: Provided by reader, Yonhap News)

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