Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Below is an email from a professional collector friend of mine in Ghana West Africa. This guy was born raised and has spent his entire life in the field. I asked him to in his own words describe how the monitors there are caught.

Enrie,
Sorry for not replying you in time. I am out of Accra and in the field. You know yourself. In Ghana, you do not get internet anywhere. If you are out of the Cities, then you may not get electricity, let alone phone or internet.

THANKS * * * * *

There it is.

Ernie Eison
Westwoodreptiles.com

does this have to do with whether they are social or not? only catching one or two in an area means you only caught one or two. not that there are not more there or when these guys collect where they find them may be singularly as that is their typical activity when normally collected(you only see gilas above ground for a miniscule amount of time in comparison to time underground...who knows what they do?). I think I see what you are saying but I do not think that its valid to call them anti social. maybe i missed the point. anyway it was a great thread awhile back and likely helped a bunch of us.

It's really not the point anyway. What I was trying to glean (sp?) from the information given by FR, was how best they do in captivity- kept solitarily, paired or in groups (if feasible)
Not all of us can keep groups of monitors, so those who do and who do so, more successfully than most/anyone? should have some valuable information to share about their behavior within those groups. It was starting to get really interesting, but unfortunatley, not everyone feels the same way, so end of story? Not at all!

Susan.

There was some discussion regarding wild monitor habits .What I posted was direct information regarding the activity's of wild monitors that was provided by a highly experienced individual. Not the point ? For some maybe but for others they might find the information of interest. That's the point.

Ernie Eison
Westwoodreptiles.com

Varanids are lizards with complex social structures. By the way Ernie I called you as you requested SEVERAL times and left messages but alas you didn't return my calls....TC