A rescue team from our Nepali partner, the Mithila Wildlife Trust (MWT), today saved a critically endangered Yellow Monitor Lizard that had been trapped in a bathroom pipe for an entire week. While MWT routinely responds to wildlife emergencies – particularly involving snakes that stray into villages – rescues involving Yellow Monitor Lizards are extremely rare.

Also known as the Golden Monitor, the Yellow Monitor Lizard (Varanus flavescens) is a shy and elusive reptile found in the Terai lowlands of Nepal, where it lives in wetlands, along rivers, and on the edges of farmland. Smaller and paler than the more common Bengal Monitor, it plays an essential role in the ecosystem as a predator of pests and a scavenger of carrion. However, its numbers are in steep decline due to habitat loss, wetland degradation, and illegal hunting, driven by superstition and demand for traditional medicine. Despite having legal protection, enforcement is inconsistent.

MWT plays a leading role in addressing these threats through wetland restoration, public education, and community-based conservation. In fact, MWT is currently constructing small dams at our Dhanushadham Bird Park to create new wetland areas – an increasingly urgent priority as droughts on the Terai become more frequent due to climate change.

As for the rescued lizard, it was found severely dehydrated, but thanks to prompt care – rehydration, salts, food and rest at the MWT office – it made a full recovery and was released safely back into the wild. Fortunately, our new tree plantations now offer a safe and suitable habitat for return of animals such as these.

The Yellow Monitor Lizard is listed as endangered in Nepal, globally listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List.