ISSN: 1936-296X on the Cover: Varanus Komodoensis
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BIAWAK Journal of Varanid Biology and Husbandry Volume 13 Number 1 ISSN: 1936-296X On the Cover: Varanus komodoensis The hatchling Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) depicted on the cover and inset of this issue was pho- tographed by Gunther Schmida (E-mail: ggg32@big- pond.com.au) near the ranger station on Komodo Island in late April, 2015. The V. komodoensis was seen emerg- ing from a tree hollow at a height of about 2.5 meters. There were quite a few people around and the dragon did not descend from the tree during the observation. Gunther Schmida wishes to thank David Hau and his team, and Marcus Schmidbauer. BIAWAK Journal of Varanid Biology and Husbandry Editor Editorial Review ROBERT W. MENDYK BERND EIDENMÜLLER Department of Herpetology Frankfurt, DE Smithsonian National Zoological Park [email protected] 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington, DC 20008, US RUston W. Hartdegen [email protected] Department of Herpetology Dallas Zoo, US Department of Herpetology [email protected] Audubon Zoo 6500 Magazine Street TIM JESSOP New Orleans, LA 70118, US Department of Zoology [email protected] University of Melbourne, AU [email protected] Associate Editors DAVID S. KIRSHNER Sydney Zoo, AU DANIEL BENNETT [email protected] PO Box 42793 Larnaca 6503, CY JEFFREY M. LEMM [email protected] San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research Zoological Society of San Diego, US MICHAEL Cota [email protected] Natural History Museum National Science Museum, Thailand LAURENCE PAUL Technopolis, Khlong 5, Khlong Luang San Antonio, TX, US Pathum Thani 12120, TH [email protected] [email protected] SAMUEL S. SWEET Institute for Research and Development Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University University of California, Santa Barbara, US 1 U-thong Nok Road [email protected] Dusit, Bangkok 10300, TH [email protected] VALTER WEIJOLA Zoological Museum, Biodiversity Unit ANDRÉ KOCH University of Turku, FI Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig [email protected] Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, DE [email protected] THOMAS ZIEGLER Cologne Zoo, DE [email protected] Editorial Liaisons JOHN ADRAGNA [email protected] MATTHEW SOMMA [email protected] INTERNATIONAL VARANID INTEREST GROUP www.varanidae.org The International Varanid Interest Group is a volunteer-based organization established to advance varanid research, conservation, and hus- bandry, and to promote scientific literacy among varanid enthusiasts. Membership to the IVIG is free, and open to anyone with an interest in varanid lizards and the advancement of varanid research. Membership includes subscription to Biawak, an international research journal of varanid biology and husbandry, and is available online through the IVIG website. BIAWAK ISSN 1936-296X Journal of Varanid Biology and Husbandry Volume 13 Number 1 July 2019 News Notes............................................................................................................................................ 4 A Tribute to Hans-Georg Horn (1935-2019) .........................................................................................................................................UWE KREBS 7 ..............................................................................................................................DANIEL BENNETT 8 ...........................................................................................................................MICHAEL STANNER 9 .........................................................................................................................SAMUEL S. SWEET 12 .........................................................................................................................ROBERT W. MENDYK 13 .................................................................................................................................GERARD VISSER 16 ...................................................................................................................................PETER KRAUSS 18 ......................................................................................................................YEHUDAH L. WERNER 19 A Lifetime’s Pursuit of All Things Varanus: The Contributions of Hans-Georg Horn (1935–2019) 22 to the Study of Monitor Lizards ......................................................................................................................ROBERT W. MENDYK Is the New Guinea Emerald Tree Monitor Lizard (Varanus prasinus) Native to Mainland Australia? 32 .....................................................................................ANDRÉ KOCH & BERND EIDENMÜLLER Fire-associated Injury in the Southern Rock Monitor (Varanus albigularis albigularis) 43 ...............PHILIPPUS R. JORDAAN, ANDREW N. GREEN, ALEXANDER B. WOOLCOCK & JOHAN C.A. STEYL Mobbing Behavior by White-vented Mynas (Acridotheres javanicus) Towards a Southeast Asian 46 Water Monitor (Varanus salvator macromaculatus) .......................CURT H. BARNES, WANRAWEE TIPPRAPATKUL, TERRE HRADNANSKY & CASEE BARNES Cruelty to Varanus Species of the Barak Valley, Assam, India 50 .................................................AMIR SOHAIL CHOUDHURY & PARTHANKAR CHOUDHURY Observations and Experiments on “Spinning Behavior” in Varanus albigularis 54 ........................................................................................................................................UWE KREBS Track Marks, Body Postures and Agonistic Behavior in Varanus rosenbergi with a Re-assessment 62 of the Vertical Clinch Posture in Varanid Lizards ................BRIAN GREEN, GRAHAM CHURCHETT, WARWICK SMITH, PEGGY RISMILLER & MIKE MCKELVEY Recent Publications................................................................................................................................ 71 © 2019 International Varanid Interest Group NEWS NOTES Two in Queensland Bitten by facilities, Raja had spent his entire life at the zoo, having hatched there in 2003. Zoo officials noted that Lace Monitors the animal had a number of health problems including spinal disease and arthritis and that he had recently An eight year-old girl was injured when a monitor exhibited declining health. lizard bit her foot. The incident occurred at a beachside A female Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) campground on South Stradbroke Island, Queensland. at Zoo Knoxville has died. According to zoo officials, Few specifics of the incident were given, but it occurred initial necropsy results suggested the cause of death was while the girl was walking through the campground, related to an infection of the reproductive tract. The and she suffered a severe laceration. Several people dragon had been transported to a local university for a were needed to remove the animal’s jaws from her foot. CT scan when it was believed that she was gravid with She was taken to the Gold Coast University Hospital eggs. The female experienced difficulties recovering and was listed as being in stable condition. The animal, from anesthesia associated with the procedure, but was identified from photographs as a large lace monitor reported to have been recovering; it was found deceased (Varanus varius), was later captured and relocated to two days later. Hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo in 2010, property near Jimboomba. Three weeks later, a man in the dragon arrived at Zoo Knoxville in 2011. Toogoolawah suffered deeps cuts to his legs when he attempted to get between a lace monitor and his flock of Sources: Albuquerque Journal, 23 January 2019; The peacocks. His injuries were sustained while attempting Seattle Times, 28 March 2019; FOX31 Denver, 27 to carry the lizard away from his flock. A paramedic who March 2019; www.wvlt.tv, 17 June 2019 arrived to treat his wounds was also injured. Sources: Blue Mountain Gazette, 24 January 2019; Brisbane Times 14 February 2019 Crocodile Monitors Hatched at Honolulu Zoo Captive Komodo Dragon The Honolulu Zoo has announced the successful hatching of five crocodile monitors (Varanus salvadorii). Deaths Crocodile monitor reproduction in captivity remains a rare event with so far only four zoological facilities Sunny, Albuquerque BioPark Zoo’s Komodo dragon worldwide (and an unknown number of private keepers) (Varanus komodoensis), has died. The 18 year-old having experienced success. This recent clutch is not male’s cause of death was listed as kidney failure. Sunny the first time Honolulu has bred this species; a total of originally came to Albuquerque from the San Diego twenty-four have been hatched there since 1999. It was Zoo in 2015 as a match for their resident female, Nancy. noted that the hatchlings are being hand-fed and have However, Nancy was euthanized in 2018 and the two developed a familiarity with keepers there. No ultimate never produced offspring. plans for the young animals were announced. Selat, a male Komodo dragon, was euthanized at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. The twenty year-old Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 2 April 2019 animal, one of the oldest in North America, had been suffering from osteoarthritis and joint deterioration. Following unsuccessful treatments from a variety of therapies, zoo officials determined that the animal’s Man Pleads Guilty to quality of life had decreased to the point where euthanasia Smuggling Philippine Monitors was considered the only humane option. The Denver Zoo announced the death of Raja, a A man pleaded guilty in federal court in