Water Monitor Fed a Rabbit in Tub
Like 4 Dislike 0 Published on 8 Apr 2018
Asian water monitors often feed in water. Video shows how to safely feed a large lizard.
Rex is a sweet lovable lizard. ❤
Video was filmed on April 6, 2017 of an Asian Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) taking a frozen-thawed feeder rabbit at the institution.
Video is part of a body of work that focuses on the science of reptile behavior that supported a master's thesis in zoology. Currently working on PhD in reptile venom research.
As seen in video, the lizard smells using tip of his tongue which rubs against a jacobson's organ (located roof of mouth) and the forked tongue--split into two tines at the tip--is believed to allow them to sense from which direction "stereoscopically" a smell originates.
Following scent trails based on chemical cues is called tropotaxis. It's unclear whether forked-tongued reptiles can actually follow trails or if this is just a hypothesis. Study the video, what do you think?
Video is for the citation for junior high school, and high school science reports. Also recommended for college and graduate level source citation for zoological biostatistics.
Filmed with the University of Guadalajara for Biological and Agricultural Sciences, the division of Biological and Environmental Science Division, at the department of Botany and Zoology.