One might wonder what’s the subject of water monitor lizards doing in one of Singapore’s foremost lifestyle and travel oriented reviews websites. Well, being an avid nature photographer and repeatedly coming up close and personal with these “gentle” lizards during my park visits and the fact that I overheard many park visitors frequently describing them as “Komodo Dragons”.
I thought it might be an opportune time to do a journal on them, so that readers will gain a slightly more in-depth knowledge of them when they spot these water lizards if they do visit the nature parks in the near future. And the fact that I accumulated a healthy portfolio of these cold-blooded reptiles to facilitates a more interesting write-up with pictures.
For starters, if they’re really Komodo Dragons, rest assured I would be the first to do the century sprint possibly as fast as Usain Bolt! You don’t want to mess with the Komodos… their extremely venomous saliva are certainly not overrated.
Rest assured while Water Monitor Lizards are in the same reptilian family with the Komodo Dragons, they are “tame” in comparison. They are essentially carnivorous in nature and particularly fond of carrion (dead decaying flesh of animals).
As I am rather in close proximity when shooting this lizard, it’s probably checking me out if I qualify to to be a snack. Great I failed the “tasting session”. (^O^)””
They are prey to crocodiles and other larger predators. Males grow faster and bigger than females. In ideal condition, they reach maturity in 2 years at 1.13m for males and 0.5-1.2m for females attaining weight of 25kg. Average life-span are about 15 years old.
And of course, the claws come in handy when they are cornered, where they will bite and claw their way through. I have frequently observed the Sungei Buloh “resident” lizards displayed all manner of laceration on their body…food fight, territory marking, mating rites. I think they won’t want pedicures anytime soon.
During swimming, their keep their limbs to the side of their body and can remain underwater for up to half an hour. I can safely assume many of the Sungei Buloh lizards swam over from across the Straits of Johor.
Good thing at Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve, they are left largely alone except by photographers like me…LOL
So remember, I am a Water Monitor Lizard, not a Komodo Dragon. Do visit me when you drop by Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve sometime soon. Thank you for getting to know me better.
N.B – All pictures are copyrighted to Jensen Chua and all rights reserved.
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