CAMDEN — A 2-foot-long exotic lizard is on its way to a better home than the shores of the Megunticook River, and the rock walls and backyards of Millville in Camden.

Tentatively identified as a tegu lizard, Camden Police Chief Randy Gagne joined Officer Brook Hartshorn in catching the native South American creature with a catch pole.

"We caught it up on Washington Street, near the river, just a couple houses down from Shirttail Point," said Gagne. "It looks like it's been outside for a while."

The pinkish, striped lizard was missing all of its front toes, which looked like little nubs. It still had its back claws and toes, and it was hard to know if the loss of the front toes and nails was a natural occurrence or caused by someone or something.

Gagne said a resident called about the lizard today, but it's not the first time it's been seen around town. He said a town employee, Ross Parker, superintendent of the Waste Water Treatment Plant, saw the lizard earlier this month.

"Ross Parker said he saw it over by Seabright Dam," said Gagne. Seabright Dam is located in the Millville area of Camden, at the sharp turn of Mt. Battie Street.

About 30 minutes after the lizard was caught and put into a pet crate, Maine Warden Mark Merrifield arrived at the police station. The lizard was transferred into a smaller crate for transport to Don and Carleen Cote, owners and operators of Wildlife Care Center in Vassalboro.

Gagne said from there, the lizard will likely end up with someone in New Hampshire that takes these kinds of creatures in.

According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s Unrestricted Fish and Wildlife Species list, it is permissable to own a common tegu (captive bred) or dwarf tegu lizard without a special import or possession permit.