Two male monitor lizards were seen locked in a bear hug during fierce duel in Thailand.

Footage shows the 4ft-tall reptiles refusing to stand down during the territorial battle in Bangkok on August 20.

Despite appearing affectionate towards each other, the lizard hug meant they were pushing each other to the ground in a duel.

The reptiles held up traffic for almost half an hour before they escaped upon attracting more residents in the middle of the road.

Driver Kot Thanatpan said: ‘I had to adjust to avoid them. I thought they were boyfriends and girlfriends at first but then someone told they were actually fighting.'

Male monitor lizards usually lock themselves in an embrace while wrestling each other to the ground during a duel for territory. Large numbers of them live in the capital Bangkok where they occasionally attack humans.