At first glance beachgoers at Ruakaka may have thought a large lizard was on the loose when Greg Maddox turned up.
The 2 metre-long monitor lizard with a long neck, powerful tail, sharp claws and well-developed limbs looked at home in the white sandy environment. The lizards, which can reach up to 3m in length, are native to Africa, Asia and Oceania.
But take a closer look and the changing colours of the skin are actually different coloured pieces of driftwood carefully pieced together by sculptor Maddox.
![Is it real or is it a driftwood sculpture of a monitor lizard? Photo/ Supplied](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/G3KR5LCER4I5OHX6G73BQWLZWY.jpg?auth=cfe78702058796724a21ee7a5b5e76ada394f4f48649f256892943def595e4fe&width=16&height=10&quality=70&smart=true)
A post on a Bream Bay Facebook page featuring the lizard exploring Ruakaka Beach also attracted a lot of comments, with people querying the ownership of such a lizard in New Zealand.