Lizard man: Baringo man successfully tame notorious lizard

Monitor Lizard at Equator Reptiles Park in Mogotio, Baringo County on March 4,2025. They keep two species of monitor Lizards White Throat Monitor Lizards and Nile Monitor Lizards. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

A radical shift in conservation is taking root in Mogotio, Baringo County where a conservationist is pioneering a unique eco-tourism initiative.

Jacob Toroitich has tamed the notorious monitor lizards that have been killing chicken in the neighbourhood, and preying on goats into a revenue-generating scheme, while also creating awareness.

Toroitich, now runs Equator Reptiles Park, along the Equator in Mogotio constituency.

“This is an unlikely story. We do not have to go through a common path to create in eco-tourism." he says when we visited him at his park.

"I decided to introduce the monitor lizards where tourists can get to have a glimpse of them in an enclosure, while also raising awareness on the need to conserve these animals, among the community,” Toroitich says.

Initially, Toroitich operated a tortoise park that showcased different species, and proved a major tourist attraction to those visiting other sites in the region.

The park, provides a home, and raises  awareness on the dangers of killing tortoises, which many farmers accuse of raiding crops in their farms.

But in 2023, Toroitich decided to introduce two other unique species to his farm- the Nile and the white-throated monitor lizards.

The two monitor lizards are found within several savanna and semi-desert regions.

Although the two species are synonymous for preying on chicken and eating eggs, Toroitich says the issues gets more intense with their habitats encroached.

“The Nile monitor lives within riparian areas, along the riverbanks and swamps. However, people have been farming the riparian areas. These animals tend to move closer to homesteads where they can easily find food, resulting in human-wildlife conflicts,” Toriotich says.

Besides the park creating awareness on the need to conserve the habitats of both species, it also provides opportunities to for researchers and students to learn.

“Institutions have been sending over their students to undertake their internships here. This is also an education center. Researchers too have been part of this journey,” he adds.

To run such a facility, one has to get permits from the Kenya Wildlife Service upon which they undergo training on handling the animals.

 Despite the myths that almost dimmed the reptile ecotourism venture, the facility has grown and sometimes acts and a rescue centre whenever there are cases of rescued reptiles.

“There have been cases of tortoises being rescued by the Kenya Wildlife Service and this facility often acts as a temporary rescue centre. At one point, there was a court case where tortoises were involved and the court directed the rescued tortoises to be hosted in this facility until the case was completed,” Toroitich said

According to Anthony Yator, an expert and archaeologist who handles the reptiles at the facility, it takes passion and understanding the behaviours of the reptiles to run a successful facility.

“Feeding the monitor lizards is not a costly venture. They feed twice a week and requires little attention including grooming and making sure they are in good health,” Yator said.

The monitor lizards are fed on rats, eggs and soft meat.

He says that introducing the monitor lizards as an eco-tourism venture has helped in demystifying the myths surrounding the creatures, which he says, are threatened by habitat loss and persecutions.

He said that eco-tourism ventures are a new stream of generating financing for conservation as well as creating opportunities for graduates.

“Having studied History and Archaeology from Masinde Muliro University, I did not have to look for another job in another town yet the opportunity had presented itself here. I now handle these animals and ensure that we are following the wildlife regulations keenly,” he said.