This is the terrifying moment a ferocious monitor lizard was removed from a family home after invading the house.

Theavy Tham and her family were lounging in their living room next to the garage when the reptile rampaged inside in Battambang, Cambodia.

This prompted the women and children sitting on the chairs to frantically climb onto the furniture to avoid the sauntering animal on June 20.

Moments later, a shirtless brave man arrived to catch the agile predator by its tail.

However, he was unable to catch it on his first attempt.

Footage then shows the animal rescuer using a loop rope pole to slip the noose around the lizard's neck as it was cornered in the kitchen area.

He then dragged the animal out of the house and released it back into the forest, away from the residential area.

Asian water monitor lizards normally live in canals, swamps, sewers and ponds in cities in Cambodia. 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.