A cheeky monitor lizard was caught on camera - snatching lunch from a family of otters.

The animals snared the large catfish and were tucking into it on the banks of the lake inside the Singapore Botanic Gardens on August 18.

But the aggressive lizard crawled over to the otters without disturbing them and pounced - snatching their dinner in its jaws.

Mobile phone footage shows how the terrified otters fled while the water monitor lizard walked onto the banks to devour its ill-gotten gains.

Onlookers joked that the lizard was ''super gangster'' and the renowned wildlife park had gone to ruins with the crime.

Park visitor Sivasothi said: ''The Zouk5 smooth-coated otter family was stalked by this seasoned monitor lizard. She sidled up to them and swiped their treasured fish with a stabbing motion of the head.

''The feisty lizard then clambered on to land as the audience reacted with surprise, laughter and dismay. But some did cheer on the old gravid resident lizard.

''The otters missed dinner, the swans hissed at them and they certainly didn’t try taking on the large catfish surfacing to feed at the other end of the pond.

''This World Heritage Site sure is a gangsta neighbourhood these days, but at least they are free of attacks by the competing Bishan otter family.

''The nervous pups shook all that off and revived to play until the sunset. If nothing else, they live to fight another day.''

A cheeky monitor lizard was caught on camera - snatching lunch from a family of otters.

The animals snared the large catfish and were tucking into it on the banks of the lake inside the Singapore Botanic Gardens on August 18.

But the aggressive lizard crawled over to the otters without disturbing them and pounced - snatching their dinner in its jaws.

Mobile phone footage shows how the terrified otters fled while the water monitor lizard walked onto the banks to devour its ill gotten gains.

Onlookers joked that the lizard was ''super gangster'' and the renowned wildlife park had gone to ruins with crime.

Park visitor Sivasothi said: ''The Zouk5 smooth-coated otter family were stalked by this seasoned monitor lizard. She sidled up to them and swiped their treasured fish with a stabbing motion of the head.

''The feisty lizard then clambered on to land as the audience reacted with surprise, laughter and dismay. But some did cheer on the old gravid resident lizard.

''The otters missed dinner, the swans hissed at them and they certainly didn’t try taking on the large catfish surfacing to feed at the other end of the pond.

''This World Heritage Site sure is a gangsta neighbourhood these days, but at least they are free of attacks by the competing Bishan otter family.

''The nervous pups shook all that off and revived to play until the sun set. If nothing else, they live to fight another day.''