Varanus rosenbergi
2 Heath or Rosenberg's Monitor at Paddys River, ACT
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| Varanus rosenbergi | wombey | 15 Oct 2023 | |
| Varanus rosenbergi | CarbonAI | 15 Oct 2023 | |
| Varanus rosenbergi | KateI | 15 Oct 2023 |
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User's notes
I believe that this is a Rosenbergs monitor, but would be interested to get a second opinion!
Whilst the sighting above is from December 2022 there have been several sightings of monitors on the Birrigai outdoor school grounds within the past month. The diversity in size and location of the monitors indicates that there are at least 3 living within the school grounds or surrounding area.
The one pictured above made its home in a rabbit hole for several months beside the road. It was interesting to observe rabbits still frequently entering and exiting the burrow whilst the monitor was occupying it.
2 comments
16 Oct 2023
Thanks Katel - and always pleased to get photos from teh past they can be very important. Individual Rosenbergs can be identified from the differing scale patterns on their faces so if possible if you and others at Birigai could try and obtain side shots of both faces - the clearer the better - of the goannas in teh Birragai area we can determine a minimum number that are there and whether they are returning/ remaining each year @DonFletcher you may want to add something
16 Oct 2023
Hi Kate. If you email me at don.fletcher@emailme.com.au I can send you examples of left face and right face photos. Unless the goannas have been captured, cameras with tele lenses are best for face photos. Also a very slow and indirect approach to the goanna, while sitting, crouching or crawling, until you get into range. The best kinds of trail cameras, set up in exactly the right way can only just get passable photos if the goanna is hungry enough to hang around at your bait for a while. I already have a few blurry face photos from TNR and the Birrigai area so it will be interesting to check you animals against those.
The rabbit observation is interesting. Large Rosenberg's Goannas eat rabbits and sometimes remain in the warren while digesting them. The rabbits often leave, so all but one of the warren entrances falls into disrepair. RGs dig their own burrow for wintering in so winter is a safer time for warren-based rabbit control activities to be conducted.
The rabbit observation is interesting. Large Rosenberg's Goannas eat rabbits and sometimes remain in the warren while digesting them. The rabbits often leave, so all but one of the warren entrances falls into disrepair. RGs dig their own burrow for wintering in so winter is a safer time for warren-based rabbit control activities to be conducted.
Location information
- Maps Birrigai
- Places Paddys River, ACT
Sighting information
- At least 1 Abundance
- KateI Recorded by
Collections
- KateI Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Varanus rosenbergi Monitors & Geckos Reptiles and Frogs
Species information
- Varanus rosenbergi Scientific name
- Heath or Rosenberg's Monitor Common name
- Sensitive
- Very rare / threatened
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1432.1m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
4 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Description
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Additional attributes