When spring temperatures hit summer-like highs not only wildflowers and bushwalkers come out of hibernation. Reptiles make the most of the sunshine and soak up the heat to warm their bodies. This Gould’s Goanna (Varanus gouldii) lazily hung around the DPAW’s offices in Beelu National Park, where the dark spaces underneath the buildings provide ample opportunity to cool down again. As slow and docile as those large goannas might seem, when threatened they can rear up on their hind legs and make a dash for safety at such an astounding speed that their nickname racehorse goanna is well-deserved.
Gould’s Goanna (Varanus gouldii)
Do they have a similarly varied diet as our monitor lizards here in SA, Maurice?
Those guys are pretty opportunistic feeders, and eat anything from carrion, insects, birds, mice and other reptiles: they even prey on venomous snakes. I thinks this diet is pretty much similar to that of the African water or river Leguaan, although fish is obviously pretty hard to catch for our Goanna. Size wise the water Leguaan would measure the same as the Perentie (Varanus giganteus), which can grow up to 2.4 metres and are known to prey on small kangaroos and dingoes. Racehorse Goanna’s only reach a length of around 1.4 metres.
Love the detail in these photos.
Thanks guys, although that little piece of loose skin adds a bit of ‘noise’ š
Depending where these reptiles live, you might have said to yourself that you were gonna go on a goanna savanna.
Ha, ha, totally right mate š