  |
Goulds Monitor - Varanus gouldii
(Gray,1838)
The Nyangumarta aboriginals in the Pilbara call this lizard parntilyka.
A large powerful terrestrial monitor with a huge geographic distribution, also commonly known as the sanPersonNamed monitor. It can reach a total length of 1.6 metres. Its dorsal colour ranges from light yellow to blackish brown with pale spots and a dense dark flecking which form irregular transverse, narrow cross-bands. The limbs are also dark with pale spots or blotches and the tail is dark with narrow pale bands and the last third or tip is a pale yellow or cream colour that is patternless. Underneath is usually whitish with scattered dark flecks and spots. Females tend to be much smaller than males and weigh only one third of the males weight, which can be as high as 4kg in the N.T.
Habitat
Lives in coastal Sclerophyll forests to sandy deserts of the interior. Being extremely capable diggers, they shelter inside medium to very deep burrows often with several entrances but will also readily use tree hollows as refuge.
It is very common to find these monitors trapped down the bottom of wells where they accidentally fall into, and in most of these cases unless rescued, suffer a slow death.
Food
Being an active forager, the Goulds monitor tracks down and will dig out small mammals, lizards and will consume insects like scorpions, spiders centipedes etc. They are infamous carrion scavengers and are often seen in numbers feeding on kangaroo carcass even in various stages of decay.
Breeding
Females can lay a clutch of up to 13 eggs in summer, which can take up to 230 days to hatch and much longer if the temperature is cooler.
Comments
Due to this species being placed on a difficult to obtain keepers licence (category 5) here in W.A, they are unfortunately poorly represented in W.A collections.
All native reptiles in W.A remain protected under the W.A Wildlife Conservation Act (1950)
|
FOR AVAILABLE STOCK - Please click here.
|
|