Two
of the lizards found in Katandra belong to the VARANIDAE family of reptiles,
the Lace monitor (Varanus varius) and
the Heath monitor (Varanus rosenbergi).
Heath monitors
The Heath Monitor,
also known as Rosenberg’s Goanna, is among the rarest reptiles in the Sydney
Basin region, being more commonly found in south-western Australia. Slightly
smaller than the Lace monitor, it can be distinguished from its near relative by the absence of cream-coloured
bars on the lips, chin and forelimbs.
The forelimbs tend to be spotty rather than striped. Like
the Lace monitor, it will usually lay eggs in the side of a termite mound,
relying on the termites to cover the eggs when they repair their damaged nest.
A
“preserved” specimen of a Heath monitor is on display in Katandra’s Yurt (pictured right) – a
road-kill specimen that was found nearby. Other live individuals have been
sighted within the Sanctuary.
Lace monitors
Lace monitors grow up to 2 metres in
length. They have extremely long tails that are usually twice as long as the
head and body. They have a dark steel grey body with pale yellow or cream bands
or rows of spots. Their long and strong claws are ideal for digging and
climbing trees. Lace monitors feed upon birds, insects, reptiles, small mammals
and nesting bird’s eggs, regularly moving up to 3 kilometres per day. Several
individuals live in the Katandra, often seen near the large brush turkey mound
in the north western section of the Sanctuary. One individual was recently seen
being attacked by a pair of kookaburras as it climbed a large tree, mostly
likely near the kookaburra’s nest. The sound of the birds hitting the monitor’s
body with their beaks as they flew in was very violent and dramatic.
Other
than when breeding, lace monitors are usually solitary animals. Most females breed every year and 4-6 weeks after mating will lay 6-12
eggs.Monitors
are the only lizards that have a forked tongue.
