AZ Press:'Alligator' in Glendale pool turns out to be iguana

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Iguana Forum ]

Posted by Desiree on June 03, 2002 at 23:16:12:

SEE LINK FOR PHOTO AND VIDEO

'Alligator' in Glendale pool turns out to be iguana

Brent Whiting
The Arizona Republic
May 28, 2002 11:00:00

Glendale police were called today when a supposed "alligator" was spotted at the bottom of a backyard swimming pool.

The creature was a reptile, but no menacing monster from the dark lagoon, police said. Instead, it turned out to be an iguana about 2 � feet long.

"It was walking around the bottom of the pool in 13 feet of water, said Officer Matthew Brown, a police spokesman. "It would come up for air about every 15 or 20 minutes."

The bright green iguana, possibly a neighbor's pet, was spotted about 6 a.m. at a home in the 5600 block of West Sunnyslope Lane, just north of Olive Avenue, Brown said.

Shelly Shepherd, a wildlife manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, used a swimming-pool net to scoop up the lizard and haul it away.

The agency will make sure the iguana is healthy then wait a couple of days to see if the owner steps forward to claim the reptile, said Joe Janisch, a Game and Fish spokesman.

If not, the non-poisonous creature will be relocated to a new home, Janisch said.

Iguanas are mainly tree-dwelling reptiles, but will plunge into water for safety when threatened, according to wildlife experts.

They are often used as pets and can survive more than 15 years with proper care.

'Alligator' in Glendale pool turns out to be iguan

Follow Ups:

Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:
: SEE LINK FOR PHOTO AND VIDEO : : 'Alligator' in Glendale pool turns out to be iguana : Brent Whiting : The Arizona Republic : May 28, 2002 11:00:00 : Glendale police were called today when a supposed "alligator" was spotted at the bottom of a backyard swimming pool. : : The creature was a reptile, but no menacing monster from the dark lagoon, police said. Instead, it turned out to be an iguana about 2 � feet long. : "It was walking around the bottom of the pool in 13 feet of water, said Officer Matthew Brown, a police spokesman. "It would come up for air about every 15 or 20 minutes." : The bright green iguana, possibly a neighbor's pet, was spotted about 6 a.m. at a home in the 5600 block of West Sunnyslope Lane, just north of Olive Avenue, Brown said. : Shelly Shepherd, a wildlife manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, used a swimming-pool net to scoop up the lizard and haul it away. : : The agency will make sure the iguana is healthy then wait a couple of days to see if the owner steps forward to claim the reptile, said Joe Janisch, a Game and Fish spokesman. : If not, the non-poisonous creature will be relocated to a new home, Janisch said. : Iguanas are mainly tree-dwelling reptiles, but will plunge into water for safety when threatened, according to wildlife experts. : They are often used as pets and can survive more than 15 years with proper care.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Iguana Forum ]