|
WALKING along the Golden Boulder circuit in Bellbird Grove I saw a lace monitor (also known as a lace goanna) scurrying along the path ahead of me. It proceeded to climb up a nearby tree stopping once its tail was about a metre off the ground.
The monitor was about a metre and a half long, with its torso about as thick as my arm. It was partially concealed in amongst the thin eucalyptus scrub but its head and upper body were clear enough from vegetation for me to get a few shots.
I was quite fascinated by the contrasting yellow and black patterns on its scaly skin. Almost all other monitors and lizards I have seen here in Australia have dull brown or sandy colours that make them almost perfectly blend in with their environment, making for the perfect camouflage. Most lace monitors are dull in colour, but this one is known as "Bell's form" characterised by its bright colours.
|
