The Inside Story: Reptile ownership often begins with a baby Green Iguana
Monday, June 26, 2017
Dragons in the park
Southeast Asian water monitor (V. salvator macromaculatus), Lumpini Park, Bangkok
The Southeast Asian water monitor, a large lizard called Varanus salvator subspecies macromaculatus,occurs
throughout southern Asia and Southeast Asia. It can grow very large,
apparently up to 3 m in length, although most adults are about 1.5 to 2 m
long (1). Big enough! The males are larger than the females and can
weigh up to 50 kg. Their big cousins, the Indonesian Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis), are of course much larger and weigh up to 150 kg. Anyway, these Bangkok dragons are impressive enough.
Southeast Asian water monitor (V. salvator macromaculatus), Lumpini Park, Bangkok
The water monitors have adapted well to life in Bangkok – I expect
they have been there throughout the history of the city – and can be
seen in many places, including klongs and canals; most prominently in
Lumpini Park.
The Southeast Asian water monitor (V. salvator macromaculatus), Lumpini Park, Bangkok
Lumpini (or Lumphini or Lumpinee) – สวนลุมพินี
in Thai – is a 142 acre haven of peace in the centre of Bangkok. It is a
place were it is possible to see a surprising number of birds and other
animals, including these amazing reptiles which have become used to
people (albeit with a degree of wariness on both sides).
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