Unexpected visitor: Massive lizard scales window of Florida home

APOPKA, Fla. (Gray News) – A very large lizard recently scaled the window of a home in Florida, trying to get inside.

Frank Crowder shared a video on Facebook that shows what appears to be a monitor lizard peering in the window.

The lizard uses its sharp claws to climb the outer screen before falling down.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, nine species of monitor lizard have been spotted in Florida, none of which are native.

The lizards were introduced to the state through the pet trade, and owners often release them into the wild when they grow too large.

Invasive Nile monitors have an established presence in multiple South Florida counties. In 2021, the FWC added them to the list of prohibited species.

The reptiles can be captured and humanely killed year-round without a permit or hunting license on private property and 25 public lands in South Florida.

Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. TMX contributed to this report.