Megalania

The Megalania is a massive species of lizard from Australia and New Guinea. Most believe this species has been extinct for 19,000 years, though some think it could still be alive today. They are known to have serrated blade teeth and some suggest they could reach a max of 23 feet in length and weigh over 4000 pounds. They are related to the Komodo dragon, though their closest living relative is a lizard called the perentie. In one encounter from Australia, two lumberjacks encountered a 20-foot-long lizard in the woods. The creature bit off two fingers from one of the men, and the other man killed it by driving a spike into its head. Days later they returned for the remains of the lizard, only to find they were gone. In another encounter, a farmer’s dog chased a creature in the woods and didn’t come back. The next day the farmer found giant lizard footprints which were used by cryptozoologist Rex Gilroy to make plaster casts. Another encounter from New Guinea describes witnessing a giant lizard sunning on a rock.

Citations:

Emmer, Rick. The Giant Anaconda and Other Cryptids: Fact Or Fiction?. United States, Facts On File, Incorporated, 2010.

Stuckwish, Dale. Biblical Cryptozoology Revealed Cryptids of The Bible. United States, Xlibris US, 2009.