4-foot-long Nile monitor lizard living in family's Florida attic

CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A Florida family discovered a 4-foot monitor lizard living in their attic earlier this week.

"The thing was huge! I thought I saw a ghost or something," Danny To, of Cape Coral, told WFTX.

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To told the news station that he heard scratching on the roof for about nine months. His neighbor was the first to spot the large, invasive, semi-aquatic lizard and quickly told To.

Nile monitor lizards can grow up to 5 feet and weigh 15 pounds. They like to munch on small animals, fish and eggs.

This job, To surmised, would be much harder than setting up a few traps, so he sought help from a professional.

Ned Bruha, of the Wildlife Whisperer, checked out the home and found scratch marks on the roof, a hole and bird feathers in the attic, WFTX reported. Birds don't naturally go in the attic, Bruha added.

He planned to patch the hole, set up cameras and hope for the best.

"This has been going on for approximately nine months, so we have no idea if there's one or 21 that call this home," Bruha told WFTX.

Read more at WFTX or at Florida Fish and Wildlife

Cox Media Group