Wildlife Update

Just a quick update on my previous post.

    The mystery of the stalking lizard has been solved.  It is a monitor lizard.  It is about 3
1/2 feet in length.  It made another appearance the following day by popping out of a storm drain in front of our garage.  The storm drain, which has a heavy iron grating and iron pipe cover runs under the house, under the backyard, and under the backyard wall to a drainage ditch behind the house.  Evidently, the lizard entered the pipe in the back, walked through the pipe under the house and popped open the top of the drain.  It was spied by someone in the compound as it popped open the top of the drain.  She screamed and the lizard ran into a small utility closet in our basement.  I did not have a key to the closet door, nor did the management office, so all I could do was get a photo of the lizard through the barred opening of the closet, which houses an airconditioner chiller.

The security guys from our compound came and someone from maintenance came.  Maintenance wanted to poke the lizard with a stick, hoping to chase it out of the closet, but I would not allow them to do that.  Instead I let everyone get a good look and then sent them away.  I then uncovered the drain again and left it open until the lizard could escape under the cover of night.  By 9:30 pm it was gone.

    Our housekeeper wanted to know why all the animals seemed to gravitate to our home.  I said I could not speak to the civet cat, or some of the other animals that have come to visit, but that I am originally from New York and New York City has a long history of rather large reptiles living in their sewers and drains.  Maybe its just wants us to feel at home.  Now if I can just find a good jazz club.