Durban - A Queensburgh couple will soon play host to some of the continent’s biggest and most voracious predators after Nile monitor lizard eggs were found in their yard.
Well-known Durban snake catcher Nick Evans says in May, Kath and Steve Maloney spotted a pair of Nile monitor lizards in their garden.
One of the lizards was scratching in their compost heap.
This week Maloney’s gardener noticed some eggs while digging in the compost heap and alerted Steve as he thought they were snake eggs.
Steve then realised that they were Nile monitor lizard eggs and contacted Evans.
“I had been warned some were damaged when they were found, accidentally. Steve had covered them up again, so we started digging. We wanted to confirm they were monitor eggs, and get some details from this case,” said Evans in a Facebook post.
He said it was “incredibly warm and slightly damp”, perfect conditions to incubate reptile eggs.
They uncovered 18 eggs but eight were punctured and could not be salvaged.
“I was so, so excited! I’ve never seen their eggs before. I was always curious as to where they lay their eggs around suburbia. Compost heaps were an obvious suspicion. But to actually see this was very special,” said Evans.
He said the eggs were closed over again and would be monitored to see the young emerge, which would probably be around August or September.
Evans said recently a pregnant Nile monitor lizard with close to 40 eggs died after she was attacked by dogs.
Anyone with information on further sightings can contact Evans on 072 809 5806 or [email protected].
The SA National Biodiversity Institute says Nile monitors grow to about 100–140cm (maximum 200cm) in length, have a stout body, powerful limbs and strong claws.
The Independent on Saturday