Lace Monitor

The word ‘goanna’ is said to be a corruption of ‘iguana’, an unrelated species. Around the rest of the world, members of the goanna family are known as monitor lizards. The goanna in eastern Australia is properly known as a Lace Monitor, Varanus varius. The Lace Monitor’s closest relative is the fearsome Komodo Dragon of Indonesia.

Goannas are the only lizard to have a snake-like forked tongue and an organ in the roof of their mouths that together, enables them to ‘taste’ the air and follow a scent trail for finding food.

 

Lace Monitors are generally most active in spring and summer. In winter they become sedentary and may only emerge to bask in some sunshine. Lace Monitors are usually solitary but can congregate into small parties during the breeding season. They are also territorial and can occupy a range of up to 60 or more hectares.

Tree hollows are the most common form of shelter for Lace Monitors but they will also use hollow logs on the ground and sometimes burrows in the ground. 

 

After mating, the female likes to burrow into a termite mound in which she lays her eggs. The termites seal over the burrow and the female monitor returns at the right time, 6 to 7 months later, to break the hatchlings free.

Lace Monitors are predominately carrion eaters but will take insects, small mammals, birds and their eggs. Many rural dwellers will have stories of Lace Monitors raiding their chook sheds. Monitor numbers are often higher around bush picnic areas where they rely on food scraps. This can be a problem as they risk harm from ingesting discarded plastic food containers, etc.

 

Recent research suggests that Lace Monitors are in fact able to inject a mild venom which has little effect on humans but can effectively subdue small prey. The Lace Monitor is listed as endangered under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act.