Man in Khanh Hoa hands over rare monitor lizard found on roadside

A young man in the southern central province of Khanh Hoa has handed over a rare water monitor lizard to local police after spotting the animal on a local road.

Police in Cam Ranh Ward said the reptile was discovered on Le Duan Street by Le Hoang Gia Vuong, 22, a resident of Binh Lap Hamlet in Nam Cam Ranh Commune.

After noticing the wild animal on the roadside, Vuong contacted local police, who later coordinated with ward authorities to receive the animal for care and handling in accordance with regulations.

Authorities identified the reptile as an Asian water monitor, a protected wild species listed under Vietnam’s Group IIB classification for endangered, rare and precious animals. Hunting, trading or illegally keeping the species is prohibited under Vietnamese law.

The incident was widely praised by local residents as a positive example of public awareness and wildlife protection efforts in the community.

Last week, a 1.3-metre-long monitor lizard was discovered inside the grounds of Hai Duc Pagoda in Tay Nha Trang Ward, Khanh Hoa Province.