|
Walking back to Mohave from an
early morning walk up Eagle’s Rock, we stopped
underneath a towering Mashatu tree to discuss the
“life and times” of the large termite mound hugging
the trunk of the tree. Our ‘city-slicking’ teenage
boys were engrossed, asking Steve loads of termite
questions when Gilbert called to us, pointing into
the tree canopy. “Look . . . . . a ‘tree’ monitor”.
 “Where, where, where?!?!!”
It took a while for all of us to spot the reptile in
the branches of the tree canopy!
Looking at the monitor from the other side of the
branches, we noticed that the reptile had clearly
been subject to a predation attempt – notice the end
of its tail is missing!!
 We have done a number of walking trails in reserves
around southern Africa over the years and seen many
interesting things. We have including this sighting
of the “tree monitor” was one of those special ones.
MONITOR FACTS:
The Tuli “tree monitor” is in fact a Rock (or
White-throated) Monitor. They are also known as
“leguaans” and are of the largest lizards in
southern Africa. Monitors are non-venomous. They
have well developed limbs and strong claws and a
long laterally compressed tail which cannot be shed.
The skin is tough and covered with small, bead-like
scales. They are sought after for food, tribal
medicine and for their skins. The meat is reported
to taste like chicken but the species is protected
under CITES. There is no proof of the traditional
African belief that they suck milk from cow’s
udders. It seems unlikely as they are reptiles and
do not have appropriate teeth and are unable to seal
their mouths in order to suck.
Rock or White-throated Monitors live in burrows,
beneath rocks or in the hollow of a tree – which
explains our specimen which is almost wedged in the
branches in the tree. It is usually solitary and
hibernates, semi-dormant in its retreat in winter.
It is well adorned with ticks in the soft skin
around the eyes, nostrils and limb joints.
They normally eat millipedes, beetles, grasshoppers
and land snails, but may also kill an animal small
enough to swallow (frequently including baby
tortoises). They also scavenge on carrion. In
confrontation it will bite and hang on like a
bulldog. If cornered it may sham death. Rock
monitors are the favourite food of Martial Eagles
and honey badgers (a.k.a ratels).
Females lay 8-37 eggs in moist soil or a live
termite mound. These eggs take up to a year to hatch
and are often preyed on by Banded Mongoose.
|
