Animal rescue staff with the SPCA in Guernsey responded to an emergency call of an unexpected animal near a car park.
When they arrived to pick up what was described as a toad, staff actually found a lizard at the parking lot near the local airport.
The GSPCA said staff were called to help catch a “very unusual stray” which turned out to be a black water dragon.
The GSPCA said staff were called to the car park next to Guernsey Airport just after 11:00 BST for the “very unusual stray” – a black water dragon.
Bearded dragons were popular and they “help a few a year, but this is our first water dragon,” according to the rescue society.
The charity has appealed for any information if anyone thought they knew its owner, or if the lizard was theirs.
GSPCA manager Steve Byrne said:
“We help stray reptiles every year, although it is mostly tortoises we see at this time of year.”
The lizard was showing signs of stress but had settled “in one of our specialist tanks, or vivariums, at the GSPCA,” he said.
The charity said it would look to rehome the water dragon if it was not claimed in 21 days once it was deemed healthy enough, “but hopefully we will find the owner.”
