A Waianae family’s pet dogs apparently cornered and killed a foot-and-a-half long illegal lizard on Friday.

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture said today it picked up a tegu lizard (Tupinambis teguixin)  from a Waianae resident who called to report she found the lizard after she heard her dogs barking. 

The lizard is native to South America. Tegu lizards are often kept as pets but are illegal in Hawaii. According to the agriculture department they can grow as large as five-feet, and are a threat to ground-nesting birds. They can also be a source of bacterial contamination, particularly to crops.

To report illegal animals, call the PEST HOTLINE at 643-PEST (7378).