Concerns have been raised over a plastic pipe being used to catch a goanna, but a professional animal wrangler says it’s the safest method for the native animals.

Daniel May, known as the Narellan Snake Catcher, posted footage of himself catching the male lace monitor after being called to relocate it from a Sydney warehouse on Wednesday.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Goanna rescued from Sydney warehouse

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May told 7NEWS.com.au he arrived to find the goanna taking a nap between pallets after staff spotted it in the warehouse several times in recent weeks.

After using a forklift to move equipment around and make the reptile easier to reach, May then loaded it into a tight-fitting plastic pipe for transportation.

The act raised eyebrows on social media, with some observers saying it’s cruel to force the animal into such a tight space.

But the professional reptile wrangler said it keeps both him and the goanna safe while it’s being relocated.

“They spend a lot of time up in tree hollows and logs, so they calm right down when they’re in a tight space,” he said.

“It’s just good for their welfare, it keeps them calm during transport.”

He added the pipe needed to be tight so the reptile couldn’t spin around or get stuck.

The goanna caught in a Sydney warehouse was released in bushland soon after. Credit: Daniel May

“You don’t wanna open the tube and you’ve got the bitey part where the tail used to be,” May said.

“You’ve got all the social media experts complaining about it, but that’s the way professionals do it and it’s proven to keep them calm.”

May also posted several videos of the goanna’s release into nearby bushland, showing it try to crawl backwards into the pipe.

The monster male lizard eventually made its way into a nearby tree to warm up in the sun.