Two rare Bengal monitor lizards spotted

Two Bengal monitor lizards were spotted together in a locality of Daudkandi upazila in Cumilla on Saturday .

The lizards were seen in the Manikandi area on the Gouripur-Matlab road under Baropara Union by retired BGB official Md Faruk Kamal Munsi of Titas upazila and this correspondent.

They were travelling by motorcycle when they noticed the two lizards crossing the road side by side. They stopped and attempted to take photographs and record a video.

However, the lizards quickly moved towards the roadside when a boy approached on a bicycle. Although a video could not be recorded, still photographs were taken.

Faruk Kamal Munsi said he was surprised to see two monitor lizards crossing the road together, adding that such wildlife is rarely seen in the area nowadays.

Professor Matin Saikat, AIP, who has been working on the environment and biodiversity for many years, told The New Nation that monitor lizards are beneficial to nature.

By feeding on insects, rats and other harmful animals, they contribute to maintaining the food chain and ecological balance.