A monitor lizard swam too far from the shore and clung to a wooden post to rest.

Footage shows the reptile hugging the pole to take a break when it was found by passing fishermen on a boat in Surat Thani province, Thailand, on February 21.

The fisherman said they tried to take it and give it a lift back to the island, but it jumped and swam away from them.

Asian water monitor lizards normally live in canals, swamps, sewers and ponds in cities in Thailand. They feed on fish, snakes, frogs and scraps of food left by humans.

The reptiles are aggressive when threatened and have a mildly venomous bite which sometimes carries harmful bacteria. The Godzilla-like reptiles are also a protected species in the country so their population thrives.