First Evidence for Reproduction of Nile Monitors (Varanus niloticus) in Palm Beach County

Varanus niloticus (Nile Monitor) is a large, carnivorous lizard native to sub-Saharan Africa. A breeding population of Nile Monitors was documented in southwestern Florida (Lee County) in 2004. In 2011, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission began surveying the C-51 canal on the southeastern Florida coast in Palm Beach County in response to multiple reports of monitor lizards. These surveys resulted in observations of 9 Nile Monitors, including a hatchling and copulating pair. Three additional hatchlings were later reported by private citizens. These observations provide evidence of a breeding population of these non-native lizards in southeastern Florida.