KUANTAN: The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) will carry out more frequent operations to keep the population of monitor lizards in Pulau Tioman under control.
This follows a string of incidences involving the reptile which pose a threat to the public.
The latest incident was yesterday when 3-year-old Faliq Iman Mohd Fadhirul Izwan was bitten on the right foot by a 1.5m monitor lizard.
The reptile was apparently looking for food.
Perhilitan director Rozidan Md Yassin said the last complaint on monitor lizard threats on the island was received on June 25, and an operation had been carried on the same day.
He advised residents not to provoke or disturb wild animals in the area and instead contact the department immediately in the event of human-wildlife conflicts.
This, he said, was to ensure that immediate and correct response was taken.
“I was told that the lizard had previously entered the resort looking for cats... maybe the reptile felt that the victim was blocking its path, and bit him.
Faliq Iman’s father Mohd Fadhirul Izwan Mat Saridan, 34, said his son had undergone surgery at a private hospital and was recuperating.
He added that doctors would be monitoring Faliq for the next few days and be discharged once they gave the greenlight.
Back in 2014, an eight-month-old baby was attacked by a monitor lizard on the island.