The Clouded Monitor,and other cool stuff.

[fickle-minder]

For the past week or so,I have been searching for monitors.Well finding them was easy,but catching them is another question!Yesterday,I got a chance to photograph a sub-adult!In most Varanus species,the juveniles have impressive coloration,but tends to fade with age.


Dorsal(Spotted)

Underside(Marbled)


And some closeups on the head.
With Flash


Without Flash


Here's another species of monitor that needs re-shots
Varanus salvator,(Malayan Water Monitor)


And now,the other herps found recently
Biting off more than I can chew?I don't think so!
Ahaetulla prasina consuming Calotes versicolor


A juvenile Dendrelaphis pictus,(Painted Bronzeback)

Mint green appears only when held or disturbed


By far,my best shot of this species
Chrysopelea paradisi,(Paradise Tree Snake)

Chrysopelea paradisi's belly scales.The center section gets sucked in,forming a U shape,enabling it to glide!

[Bill Love]

Cool 'Ahaetulla prasina consuming Calotes versicolor' shot !

[justinm]

Cool 'Ahaetulla prasina consuming Calotes versicolor' shot !

I agree, I thought it was all great but the feeding shot was super cool.

Nice to see you posting Bill.

[Ruxs]

Nice paradisi, I'm dying to catch one of those.

[fickle-minder]

Thank you for the compliments guys!

Nice paradisi, I'm dying to catch one of those.

You should come over to Singapore,here it seems to be pretty common!Recently found one in school's science lab,that's how common they are here

[regalringneck]

... very cool indeed, seems we rarely we see wild varanids posted, nice too that there are still places where its legal to pick one up & marvel, it'd be a bit of a bitch to have to be "cane'd" for it!
Has anyone heard a reasonable explanation for why the new world wound up so devoid of these beasts? As remarkably diverse as the tribe is, its hard to accept they all somehow just went extinct, but only here. Thank goodness we managed to hold on to our heloderms ...

[fickle-minder]

... very cool indeed, seems we rarely we see wild varanids posted, nice too that there are still places where its legal to pick one up & marvel, it'd be a bit of a bitch to have to be "cane'd" for it!
Has anyone heard a reasonable explanation for why the new world wound up so devoid of these beasts? As remarkably diverse as the tribe is, its hard to accept they all somehow just went extinct, but only here. Thank goodness we managed to hold on to our heloderms ...

Thanks for the compliment!Well in Singapore it's still against the law to capture wild animals.That's why I usually stick to a short period of time to shoot,then release.Very sad to hear that varanids all over the world are slowly diminishing

[Ruxs]

Nice paradisi, I'm dying to catch one of those.

You should come over to Singapore,here it seems to be pretty common!Recently found one in school's science lab,that's how common they are here

Unfortunately that is a trip for another year; perhaps 2015-2016. Depends on whether I want to keep herping Singapore/Malaysia/South Thailand or move on to Myanmar/Vietnam.

[fickle-minder]

Don't worry,things will work out

[fickle-minder]

Thank you for the kind comments everyone!The shot of the Ahaetulla prasina consuming Calotes versicolor was a fortunate encounter,I just so happened to be at the right place,at the right time!Frankly,my first time shooting a snake consuming food!

[Hans Breuer (twoton)]

"Ahaetulla prasina consuming Calotes versicolor". Shot of the Year. I'm going to Singapore tomorrow for two days, but only to completely waste them at some boring video game exhibition. Next time!