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Varanus panoptes panoptes
This beautiful Goanna is "[L]arge [and a] [m]ottled greyish or brown [colour], with rows of yellow or greenish spots. Tip of tail yellow, banded with brown." (Atlas of Living Australia)
Foraging around the waste water wetlands (check out this little video: https://youtu.be/7CWNQuIk6Ts )
I just think this is a rather stunning individual. It was wary of my presence but didn't take off as it tried to follow it around. I had never been able to observe one that was active for any length of time. Normally they take off or if they are still...stay still. Here is an exciting piece of info from a media statement 3 August 2016: Native animals survive toads on Kimberley island [Adolphus Island], "Key species susceptible to cane toad poison - such as yellow-spotted monitors, northern blue tongues, twilight monitors, spiky-tailed monitors and northern quolls - are surviving, although we know toads have been present on the island for about four years." (https://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pa... ) So, while this is on Adolphus Island (off the coast near Wyndham), on the mainland, cane toads have reached Ngallagunda, Gibb River Station which is approximately 360km from this long lizard :) I spotted these interesting snippets of info from Epicentre Environmental (http://epicentreenvironmental.com/yellow... ): "The Yellow-spotted Monitor is an avid digger [check out the video to see it digging and scanning around], and will either dig a burrow itself or take over an existing burrow, where they will spend most of their time, especially in the late dry season when little food is available. They forage on land, in water and in trees for their meals." "The Yellow-spotted Monitor has an acute sense of smell and a forked tongue, and, like snakes, can often be spotted flicking their tongues in search of a meal." (see pic 3 for a peek of its forked tongue)
Spotted on Jan 26, 2016
Submitted on Oct 25, 2016
27 Comments (1–25)
They really are hey. I never get tired of seeing these critters. Thank you Hema :)
Stunning indeed!!
Just updated the video link (in the habitat section) because the old one wasn't working.
Thanks you for all of your support Leuba!!! Liana
Yeah, that's true. Crows and Magpies have figured out that the underside doesn't contain any poison so they do flip them over and have a feast from the belly. Smart birds :D
Congratulations -Well deserved SOTW !
That is good news! Some years ago I'd heard that crows, for example, were having a go at toads flipping them over and going for the stomach, which doesn't contain poison, apparently. Hopefully wildlife adapts!
Thank you so much Rob!!! I am having a blast sharing as much from the Kimberley as possible :)
Thank you for all of your support Sukanya!!! :) Liana
Thank you Felix! I'm not 100% sure hey. That is the way I read the article as well. What I have learned is that a method called teacher toads has been used. These are young toads which are brought in before the front and fed to Goannas, and Quolls too I think. They become sick (because the young toads are toxic but not lethal) but don't die and it teaches them to not eat the adults when the invasion arrives. Here is an articles from 2014 about teacher toads: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-15/ea...
Excellent work Liana. Congratulations on your well deserved SOTW.
Congratulation...great shots and info. Thank you for sharing.
Great spotting and info! Did I understand this correctly, native animals are becoming resistant to cane toad poison?
Thanks heaps Mark for all of your support :)
Thank you Antonio!!! That means a lot :)
Thank you Project Noah Rangers!!! I love being able to share whatever I see and whatever I can find out, and being able to learn about so many other wonderful critters around the planet...this is a fantastic platform to share from.
Congrats Liana. Well deserved.
Awesome series Liana,congrats on the well deserved SOTW and thanks for sharing
Congratulations Liana! This great series of images, notes and the fantastic video have been voted Spotting of the Week! With many thanks again for your ongoing and thorough documentation of your area for Project Noah.
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Cheers Mark! Love these critters :D Liana
Thank you Leuba, that means a lot! Actually it was worth all the digging. I did get a little video of this one chowing down on something...not sure what though :) Liana
What a beauty! Great spotting.
Great video -I hope all that digging was worth it ! Lovely photos too armadeus.4. Well done !!
Thank you Rob! And you're most welcome. I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. Now I've worked out vimeo instead of having to put a link in the notes :)
Thank you Ashley!