Nope, Nope, Nope, Nope

[Guest]

Here you go PF.

[Guest]

Love how all the customers calmly sat and watched. Truly badass lady for sure.

[Guest]

@"purplefaithful" said:
What they hell was that? A monitor lizard?

Damn thing was huge.

First I thought that might have been the Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia or something. Then I saw all the old whities in the restaurant. 

Just another day in Florida…!?  B)  

Monitor species found in Florida include crocodile monitors, water monitors, savannah monitors, peach-throated monitors and two species of black-throated monitors, according to the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida.

https://www.livescience.com/63482-giant-water-monitor-florida.html

No one knows exactly when the monitor arrived in Florida, but it was first spotted in 1990. It was probably introduced as part of the pet trade. It then either escaped or was released by people who realized much too late that maybe a huge, intelligent, active, predatory lizard doesn’t make a great pet. :o
Once the monitors were free, events unfolded predictably. These lizards wander over large areas, grow quickly, breed at an early age, and lay up to 60 eggs in a single clutch—so their numbers quickly grew. They love water, and were drawn to the same waterfront properties that attract Florida home-owners. There are now three permanent breeding populations in the state, the largest of which includes more than 1,000 individuals.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/04/the-past-and-future-of-floridas-dragon-problem/478905/. & this is from 2016!

[Guest]

@"Kentis" said:

@"purplefaithful" said:
What they hell was that? A monitor lizard?

Damn thing was huge.

First I thought that might have been the Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia or something. Then I saw all the old whities in the restaurant. 

Just another day in Florida…!?  B)  

Monitor species found in Florida include crocodile monitors, water monitors, savannah monitors, peach-throated monitors and two species of black-throated monitors, according to the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida.

https://www.livescience.com/63482-giant-water-monitor-florida.html

No one knows exactly when the monitor arrived in Florida, but it was first spotted in 1990. It was probably introduced as part of the pet trade. It then either escaped or was released by people who realized much too late that maybe a huge, intelligent, active, predatory lizard doesn’t make a great pet. :o
Once the monitors were free, events unfolded predictably. These lizards wander over large areas, grow quickly, breed at an early age, and lay up to 60 eggs in a single clutch—so their numbers quickly grew. They love water, and were drawn to the same waterfront properties that attract Florida home-owners. There are now three permanent breeding populations in the state, the largest of which includes more than 1,000 individuals.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/04/the-past-and-future-of-floridas-dragon-problem/478905/. & this is from 2016!

I've been living in Florida for 8 years and have never once seen a monitor lizard. Iguanas? Yes, for sure, I see them all the time. They are harmless and scared shitless of people. But not sure where the monitor lizard populations are in Florida because Ive never seen them

[Guest]

@"StickyBun" said:

@"Kentis" said:

@"purplefaithful" said:
What they hell was that? A monitor lizard?

Damn thing was huge.

First I thought that might have been the Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia or something. Then I saw all the old whities in the restaurant. 

Just another day in Florida…!?  B)  

Monitor species found in Florida include crocodile monitors, water monitors, savannah monitors, peach-throated monitors and two species of black-throated monitors, according to the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida.

https://www.livescience.com/63482-giant-water-monitor-florida.html

No one knows exactly when the monitor arrived in Florida, but it was first spotted in 1990. It was probably introduced as part of the pet trade. It then either escaped or was released by people who realized much too late that maybe a huge, intelligent, active, predatory lizard doesn’t make a great pet. :o
Once the monitors were free, events unfolded predictably. These lizards wander over large areas, grow quickly, breed at an early age, and lay up to 60 eggs in a single clutch—so their numbers quickly grew. They love water, and were drawn to the same waterfront properties that attract Florida home-owners. There are now three permanent breeding populations in the state, the largest of which includes more than 1,000 individuals.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/04/the-past-and-future-of-floridas-dragon-problem/478905/. & this is from 2016!

I've been living in Florida for 8 years and have never once seen a monitor lizard. Iguanas? Yes, for sure, I see them all the time. They are harmless and scared shitless of people. But not sure where the monitor lizard populations are in Florida because Ive never seen them

How about a python? According to the article three separate breeding populations of the Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) have been identified in Florida, USA, located in Cape Coral, West Palm Beach and Homestead Air Reserve Base. 

[Guest]

@"1VikesFan" said:
Love how all the customers calmly sat and watched. Truly badass lady for sure.

Seems set up to me. I would think any rational adult would be getting the F out of the way from something big enough to hurt you b

[Guest]

Turns out this was in Australia 4 yrs ago…  B) 

Rainier Wolfcastle

@r_wolfcastle

Replying to

@RexChapman

For those wondering, yes, this was in Australia (4 years ago) and that is a monitor lizard, but the waitress is French, not Australian. She said, “I wasn’t scared. I like reptiles so I was a bit excited.”