Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I found these footprints of a wild heath monitor, Varanus rosenbergi, yesterday, made in a drying puddle. I thought they were particularly good as the wet mud captured the scalation.

Here's the culprit. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, this picture tells a story, if you look closely enough. Anyone care to guess what the story is?

Although it can't be read from the photograph, the location and direction of the footprints are part of the same story.

A skinny dehydrated Health monitor searching for water after the first rains. I hope it finds lots of food and water. Or a female who just laid eggs and is doing the same. Best wishes

Part of your answer is correct, FR: It's a female that has just laid eggs. She's actually nest guarding and has consequently been hanging out a couple of metres away from the nest for the past while.

We've been inundated with rain lately and there is standing water everywhere. The drying puddle in which her footprints were found was right in front of her nest (a puddle always forms there whenever it rains), so water access is not an issue.

...she does, however, need to start foraging again to fill out. As far as I can tell she is not currently foraging, but I think she'll be finished nest guarding fairly soon.

I'd forgotten to explain the footprint connection: The footprints go from her favourite resting spot a couple of metres away from (and behind) the nest, around the front of the nest and then back again.

She's doing the rounds, keeping an eye on things.

At one point while I was watching her she slunk off over the edge of the rock she was resting on and into a hidey-hole, but when I stopped in front of her nest to check it out her curiosity got the better of her and she popped her head up to have a look within minutes.

A minute later she was a bit further out.

I went for a walk and when I came back she was out and resting in her favourite spot again.

This is the third female I've seen using this same nest site over the years. They all nest guard from the same spot.

Congrats, a great field observation, I hope you see the neonates come out, or around there. Best of luck

"Congrats, a great field observation, I hope you see the neonates come out, or around there. Best of luck"

Thanks. A few years ago, in spring, I mentioned to a friend that it was the right time of year for neonates and the very next day he checked a nest and saw a neonate emerge. He even managed to get a photograph of its head poking out, for which I hurled abuse at him as he emailed it to me while I was working. So far the closest I've come is finding the tiny holes from which they emerge. Unfortunately it happens at a time of year when I am usually busy with work, so I can't get out there frequently enough to catch it happening.