Crocodile monitor lizard near Italy's Lake Garda prompts walking ban

A large crocodile monitor (Varanus salvadorii), also known as a papuaski, escaped from a private terrarium and has been sighted near the towns of Montichiari and Desenzano del Garda on the northern shore of Italy's Lake Garda. Weighing up to 20 kg and equipped with toxin‑secreting glands, the reptile is considered dangerous to people and livestock.

Authorities in the province of Brescia, led by mayor Marco Togni, issued an official warning and prohibited pedestrian traffic in the zones where the animal was reported. A map showing recent sightings was published, and police, municipal guards, forest rangers and drones are being used to search for the lizard. The operation aims to reduce the risk of accidental encounters while the creature remains at large.