Monitor lizard beaten to death in Chennai; wildlife experts condemn killing, call for awareness

CHENNAI: A monitor lizard, a species protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, was allegedly beaten to death by a staff member of the Madras Cricket Club (MCC) in Chennai on Thursday evening. The incident occurred inside the club premises near Chepauk, and the reptile reportedly died before rescuers could reach the spot. According to preliminary accounts, the lizard, measuring roughly about three feet long, had strayed into the clubs area when a staffer struck it with a blunt object, apparently out of fear. Members of a local wildlife rescue team said they received a distress call but found the animal dead upon arrival. Wildlife experts condemned the killing, calling it a serious violation of the Wildlife Protection Act, which accords Schedule I status to monitor lizards. This is a clear case of wildlife cruelty and ignorance, said a rescuer familiar with the case. Even in urban settings, people must know that harming a protected animal is a punishable offence. T Ritto Cyriac, Chief Conservator of Forests, told TNIE said inquiry will be made and necessary action will follow. Conservationists say the incident underscores the need for awareness about urban wildlife, as animals like monitor lizards are often sighted in city green spaces but rarely pose a threat to humans. When contacted, a MCC official claimed that the monitor lizard was only restrained and forest department was informed.