S7E2: Opportunistic Monitor Lizards in the City

A lizard who looks like a small dinosaur steps out of the water a few metres from a footpath, and suddenly “urban nature” stops being an abstract idea. We’re talking about Singapore’s Asian water monitor, one of the island’s largest terrestrial predators and a surprisingly familiar neighbour in parks, wetlands, canals, and even near housing estates. We start with the honest reaction many people have, fear, then follow how that fear can turn into curiosity once you understand what these animals are doing in the city.  Featured:  ACRES No need to be frightened of 'timid' monitor lizards in urban areas, say wildlife experts by CAN Water brings life to Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park by State of Green  Multispecies Commons with Marcus Baynes-Rock on The Animal Turn  Unveiling the urban colonization of the Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator) across its distribution range using citizen science by Álvaro Luna​ and Armand Rausell-Moreno The Water Monitor Complex, an Introduction by Tetzoo Notes on the burrows of the water monitor lizard, Varanus salvator by Carl Traeholt Garbage appeal: Relative abundance of water monitor lizards (Varanus salvator) correlates with presence of human food leftovers on Tinjil Island, Indonesia by Linda Uyeda How water monitors, or ‘kabaragoya’, can help locate dead bodies by The Morning  A global assessment of reptiles in the skin trade by Timothy J Colston et al. Coordinated raids by NParks target illegal wildlife trade across Singaporeby NParks Two Lizards Battle For Food by National Geographic  The Eye of the Crocodile by Val Plumwood Signal Group Rebecca Shen joined The Animal Turn team in 2023 as a fellow interested in researching animals in design and podcast production. She is now an Assistant Content Producer and Designer. Rebecca is a landscape designer and researcher. She is inspired by design as pursuits of worldmaking, especially to advance interspecies justice and collectivity during times of challenge. Rebecca graduated with a Master in Landscape Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design in 2023, where she completed her design thesis, Sanctuary State: California’s Cowscape in Transition. Through her design work, she explores human-animal relationships in the built environment, ecological restoration, and regenerative food systems.  Credits: Recorded: 23 June 2026 Claudia Hirtenfelder: executive producer, editor and co-host  Rebecca Shen: script writer, narrator and co-host, episode artwork and logo Gordon Clarke: bed music Sound effects: Epidemic Sound, National Geographic   Support the podcast via:  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/TheAnimalTurn  Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theanimalturn  Buzzsprout: https://theanimalturn.buzzsprout.com/  Send us Fan Mail The Animal Turn The Animal Turn is the sister podcast to The Animal Highlight. Culture and Animals Foundation The Culture & Animals Foundation advances animal advocacy through intellectual & artistic expression Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Support the show The Animal Highlight is a spinoff and sister podcast to the award winning show, the Animal Turn Podcast. Connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.