[Keith]

Giant lizard terrorises Beirut

By Kim Ghattas
BBC Beirut correspondent

He's big, he's a carnivore, he's terrorising the neighbourhood's residents, he's been swimming in people's pools and he's already claimed victims - several cats, a dog and apparently even a horse.

In Lebanon, a giant lizard has been roaming the streets of a Beirut suburb for several weeks, eluding all the attempts by the authorities to catch it.
He's Lebanon's own Komodo Dragon, or so say the witnesses who have seen him.

Komodo Dragons are an endangered species and live in Indonesia.

They belong to the family of monitor lizards.

It's believed that the one living just outside Beirut was brought to Lebanon by a German who lived here and eventually set him free.


KOMODO DRAGON
World's largest lizard
Measures up to 3.1m
Weighs up to 126kg
Numbers estimated at 1,000 to 5,000
Indigenous in Indonesia
Nicknamed 'buaya darat' or land crocodile
About three months ago, one person sighted him, but his tale was dismissed as that of a crazy person.

But when pets started disappearing, people started paying attention.

It's still possible that the dragon is not a dragon at all, but one of many kinds of monitor lizards, all of which are carnivores.

The civil defence has stationed dozens of personnel all over the area, but it lacks the sophisticated equipment needed to catch the lizard without harming it.

The civil defence is now trying to take a picture of the lizard to prove it is indeed a Komodo Dragon and sent an appeal for help to nature and science TV channels.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/middle_east/3195937.stm

[Skunkabilly]

Wouldn't a .308 or .30-06 do it?

[Iain]

Bizarre if it is true.

Those things aren't nice, their bite is pretty nasty as they tend to live off rotting and putrid meat, a single bite can give you a dose of bacteria nasty enough to kill you via septicaemia, within 24-36 hours I believe. That said I don't believe they are particularly aggressive towards humans, the natives of that island only carry sticks to fend them off if they do attack.

The claim is that they can ''smell'' meat, usual reptilian way of tongue flicking, over 3kms away.

If possible they have to try and catch this, they are an endangered species, and the curio value of the 'Lebanese Lizard' is sky-high.

[4v50 Gary]

I think we have a thread somewhere where one fellow kept 2 as pets. As a weightlifter, it didn't help him overpower his hungry pets. :uhoh: RETP - reptiles eating tasty peepul.

[BryanP]

As endangered as they are I suspect you can't get your hands on them legally, except possibly for breeding at a zoo. And yeah, pretty much any decent caliber would do the trick. They aren't that big.

Oh, and for those who are wondering -

http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/komodo/

[Okiecruffler]

I'd bet dollars to donuts that it's not a Komodo. Those are watched very carefully and some local yahoo isn't going to get their hands on one. However, it's a piece of cake to go down to a local pet store and get a nile monitor for 50 bucks. I baby sat a 6 foot nile for a while, and they have a love for water, and could easily take down most pets, including most of the tactical dogs you read about on here. Incrediable animals, but it wouldn't take much to bring one down but you might want to use a good penetrating bullet over a good expander. That's some tough hide.

[coldshot03/04]

357MAG.:D

[cool45auto]

:eek: :rolleyes:

[10-Ring]

I would think either a Louisville Slugger, a double tap from your favorite 45 acp or a 12 ga. shotgun would do the trick. Depends one what is readily available.

[Moparmike]

I'm really not sure. Whatever fits the lizard the best, probably something short with those short stubby arms. How well do their fingers fit in the trigger guard?:D :rolleyes:

Maybe a .45-70 in FMJ?

[CWL]

I think that the Lebanese are already well-armed for anything from two-legged up to lizards. AKs, M16s, RPDs, PRGs and belt-fed.

I read as a kid that Indonesians used to catch Komodos by tethering a goat out in the woods as bait.

[Standing Wolf]

I'll bet it could be turned into a lot of nice holsters and belts.

[gun-fucious]

Komodos are carrion scavangers and ambush sprinters
a 12 gauge would stop 'em right quick

a .410 would be more sporting

heres the thread on the guy eaten by his pet monitors:
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=97693

[duckfoot]

155mm

[lostdog]

gun? I'd tie up a really annoying pet, booby trap it with a claymore, and then watch.

[Dave R]

Only 122 lbs? Any major caliber would do.

[Bigjake]

375 H&H :evil: use enough gun!

once the beast had been dispatched, i'd use whatever remaining hide for a nice new exotic pair of boots

[Iain]

According to the info keith posted, if it is a komodo then it can weigh up to 126kg (approx 277lbs). Have to go along with the view that it is probably a smaller species.

[Dave R]

OOpps. Kg/Lbs error. In that case, .338/06.

[WonderNine]

Hmm, I'm finding more uses for 7.62X25 Tok every day. :D

[twoblink]

.50 BMG!! Use enough gun!! :evil:

Seriously, they aren't that aggressive.. and endangered and so they should try a blowgun or something..

That said, if you think your local sewers are bacteria filled, check out their mouth! They can kill you with a bite in less than two days due to bacteria.. St. John's is right!

Angus Steak + sleeping pills.. <-- I vote for that..

[Geech]

Darn, I saw the topic and got all excited. I was hoping it was "Giant Mutant Lizards attack what gun do you grab?!" type of thread in the same vein as "The Dead are rising!" Those are always a lot of fun. :D

[tex_n_cal]

A former employee was sunning on the beach, when he was in Guam during his service days 30-odd years ago. Enjoying a six pack, he kicked back and relaxed while his buddies walked further down the beach to fish.

He is very drowsy, notices a movement, looks, does a double take, then a triple take, then drops everything to run back to the car, where he dives into the open window!

He later finds out it was a Komodo Dragon.

Now, the funny part about this story is, the guy is from a small town in Arkansas, hates snakes and other reptiles, and has never heard of a Komodo Dragon.

The poor guy has NO idea that any such creature exists - he couldn't have been more terrified if a giant squid had risen from the ocean to eat him:evil:

[Keith]

Darn, I saw the topic and got all excited. I was hoping it was "Giant Mutant Lizards attack what gun do you grab?!" type of thread in the same vein as "The Dead are rising!"

Well, that was the intention! So, let's go with the assumption that this IS a giant mutant lizard recently escaped from a terrorist breeding facility. Tens of thousands of these are going to be released off the coast to swim ashore under cover of darkness.

You're drinking your coffee and perusing THR when you hear a noise and glancing out the window, see about fifty giant lizards swarming one of your neighbors (one you don't particularly like..) in his carport.

Now, what gun do you grab?

Keith

[eoR]

The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch

http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~pparker/images/hhg4.jpg

[Majic]

You're drinking your coffee and perusing THR when you hear a noise and glancing out the window, see about fifty giant lizards swarming one of your neighbors (one you don't particularly like..) in his carport.

I would grab the coffee pot and refill my cup. :neener:

[gun-fucious]

http://irsam.virtualave.net/Nusa/komodo.htm

supressed, belt fed, Ares Shrike (http://www.guntech.com/shrike/) , in 17hrm
firing fragmenting rounds with a DU penetrator

or a
Hillberg Defender (http://www.guntech.com/hillberg/index.html)

:evil:

[Dr.Rob]

In Lebanon? Ask my nieghbor why he isn't blasting them with an AK.

Lot more dangerous predators in Beruit than a 6 foot lizard.

[Penman]

Do they taste like chicken?

[MarkScottShow.US]

50 BMG Barrett, or as in ALien II, the only way to be sure, is to Nuke the site from Orbit......