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Today I spotted a Lace Monitor Lizard (Varanus varius) on the hunt for duck's eggs.

bernieh

By Bernieh


Today I spotted a Lace Monitor Lizard (Varanus varius) on the hunt for duck's eggs.

This shows the beautiful skin of the Lace Monitor ... or what we refer to as a goanna. Their patterning consists of white spots, blotches or bands on their body.



Comments on this photo

 

Wow !

1 Nov, 2009

 

Its quite big lovely markings you captured it well.

1 Nov, 2009

 

What a wonderful sight

1 Nov, 2009

 

Now if we saw that wandering around over here on the loose, we'd all be petrified.... he's rather lovely though.

3 Nov, 2009

 

Wow was this taken in your garden scary

3 Nov, 2009

 

the last time i saw one of those was in my back garden when i lived in western australia the swan river ran at the bottom of my garden great photo

5 Nov, 2009

 

They're venomous aren't they Bernieh?

5 Nov, 2009

 

Bernie, are the ducks wild or your pets ?

5 Nov, 2009

 

Hi Bill100 - the monitors are a pretty common sight all over Oz really ... except for larger city areas maybe. We see one or two every year out here ... being so close to the bushland. Sounds like you had a lovely place in WA - right on the Swan ... how lucky were you!

5 Nov, 2009

 

Ponty - I think they have a small amount of venom like snakes but I've never heard of anyone dying from a monitor bite. However I would not like to be bitten by these creatures - they have enormous sharp teeth and they're pretty aggressive if their nest is nearby or they feel threatened.

5 Nov, 2009

 

Louise - the ducks are ours ... that stone pathway you see in the photo above leads to the chook/duck run and that was the area this beauty was trying to get into.

5 Nov, 2009

 

Love your pictures Bernieh. There's always something new to marvel at :-)))

6 Nov, 2009

 

He is beautiful! I'm kind of glad it's not in my garden though, I'm a bit of a scaredy cat!! :-)

8 Nov, 2009

 

Great pictures Bernieh. It looks like he is doesn't move particularly quickly, but that he doesn't let things get in his way if he wants to go somewhere.

9 Nov, 2009

 

Claireinbude - looks are deceptive in this case. While he looks like a lumbering type of creature believe me they can move when they want to! I've seen them climb a tall eucalypt in no time at all when they feel threatened.

9 Nov, 2009

 

I think I'll stay out of his way!

9 Nov, 2009

 

Well, I'm in my place. I've been moaning on about 3/2" Leatherjackets and then you show me these wee beauties. But they probably don't eat the grass, just the gardeners. Come to think of it, my grass would probably be better off without my efforts. So, no more me, no more nematodes, no more Suffolk Punch (my fav toy) striping the grass, just release the Dragons. But then again this is Scotland, they would eventually take a scunner and migrate to London, where they would of course meet lots of fellow Australians, but would they be happy?

16 Nov, 2009

 

Ha ... enjoyed your comment Scunnered. No unfortunately these beauties wouldn't eat your grass ... just any insects, birds or birds' eggs that might be lurking under all that lush grass of yours.

16 Nov, 2009



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