Boy, 3, gets 30 stitches after being bitten by monitor lizard on Tioman Island

It only let go after the boy's father stepped on it twice.

Ashley Tan | October 09, 2019, 02:46 PM

A three-year-old boy was attacked by a monitor lizard on the resort island of Tioman recently.

Lizard only let go after father stepped on it twice

The boy, Faliq Iman Mohd Fadhirul Izman, had been playing with a mobile phone below the registration counter near his father's office at Kampung Salang.

The father, who works as a manager at a family-owned resort, suddenly heard Faliq crying and rushed out of the office.

He then reportedly saw a 1.5m long monitor lizard biting his son's right foot, the New Straits Times reported.

The father attempted to chase the reptile away, but when that failed, proceeded to step on it twice.

Only then did the monitor lizard release its grip on the boy's foot.

It is uncertain if the lizard attacked Faliq unprovoked.

According to the father, this was not the first time the monitor lizard had entered the resort, and previously the staff would have to chase it away each time.

30 stitches, contracted infection

After the incident, the father wrapped the boy's foot and took him to a nearby clinic.

There, the doctor assessed that the injury was serious and Faliq would require treatment at the hospital.

According to another New Straits Times article, the boy had to receive 30 stitches for the wound.

He also contracted an infection from the bite, and was subsequently administered antibiotics.

Faliq's father said that doctors at the hospital would monitor the boy's condition over the following few days, and would discharge him once they were satisfied with his condition.

Photo from Buletin TV3 / YouTube

The father told NST that his son was traumatised from the incident and would avoid talking about it.

The boy would also keep repeating "Aliq doesn't like lizards... lizards are bad," in Malay.

He stated that he hoped Malaysia's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) would take action to avoid such incidents from occurring in the future.

Perhilitan director Rozidan Md Yassin stated that the lizard probably did not view the child as a food source, but might have seen him as potential threat or obstacle.

Encountering monitor lizards in Singapore

Although there might be an increase in monitor lizard attacks in Malaysia, such cases are few and far between in Singapore.

The reptiles are pretty common in our nature areas, parks and reserves and more often than not, run the risk of being roadkill.

Although monitor lizards secrete venom, it is not fatal to humans and the National Parks Board (NParks) urges Singaporeans not be alarmed when encountering one.

These creatures are often shy and like most animals, do not attack unless provoked or cornered.

Singaporeans are discouraged from chasing, touching or cornering them and should only observe them from far afar.

In the rare event that one is bitten, the victim should seek medical attention immediately as he/she might contract a bacterial infection.

Top photo from BP Chua / FB