Body camera footage as country cop wrangles lizard into paddy wagon
November 28, 2024 6:58 AM   Subscribe

Body camera footage as country cop wrangles lizard into paddy wagon. A police officer says he found a large crowd gathered on a West Australian street after residents had climbed onto a shed roof to escape a 2 metre (6.5 feet) goanna. The goanna was later released into suitable habitat further away from human housing.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (14 comments total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
That’s a big lizard!
posted by Captaintripps at 6:59 AM on November 28


Police continue to monitor the situation.
posted by zamboni at 7:37 AM on November 28 [34 favorites]


From Wikipedia: Alarmed goannas can mistake standing humans for trees and attempt to climb them to safety, which is painful and can be distressing for both human and goanna.

Good to know.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:44 AM on November 28 [12 favorites]


Bad boys! Whatcha goanna do when they come for you?
posted by SPrintF at 8:16 AM on November 28 [7 favorites]


Alarmed goannas can mistake standing humans for trees and attempt to climb them to safety, which is painful and can be distressing for both human and goanna.


So they’re just like human toddlers.
posted by waving at 8:49 AM on November 28 [3 favorites]


Bugger off, I'm trying to defend myself.
I feel that, guy.

Ms Jones still advised people to be cautious around goannas, or nyoongarji as they are known in Yinggarda language around Carnarvon.
Endangered language, though efforts are being made to save it.
posted by Glinn at 8:51 AM on November 28 [2 favorites]


Goannas gonna goanna, amirite?
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 9:52 AM on November 28 [3 favorites]


As we say in Scotland goannae no dae that.
posted by Lanark at 12:13 PM on November 28 [2 favorites]


Police released the goanna at China***'s Pool

WTF, Australia!?
posted by dobbs at 12:50 PM on November 28 [2 favorites]


NB: In the USA, "paddy wagon" refers to the perception that many policemen are Irish, rather than the preconception that many criminals are.

It's still not a great term.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 12:56 PM on November 28


In Victoria at least, the most common term for a larger police vehicle (ie not a sedan) would be divvy van, not paddy wagon. Short for divisional van.
posted by tim_in_oz at 2:11 PM on November 28


Police released the goanna at China***'s Pool

WTF, Australia!?


Yeah - it's still a thing:
Over 250 Australian spots use this 'derogatory' name, sparking calls for renaming
posted by misterbee at 4:13 PM on November 28


I guess you could say that cop had a reptile dysfunction.
posted by Lizard at 6:05 AM on November 29 [4 favorites]


Wow, I didn't realize that goannas were that color! What a lovely shade of blue.

Also, I came here to commit a goanna pun but SPrintF has defeated me.
And Lizard's comment is off the scales.
posted by BlueHorse at 9:04 AM on November 29


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