Perentie! From the Northern Territory Australia

[infernalis]

With much thanks to the great Australians who have graciously granted publishing permission....... My favourite monitor species.

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/perentie5.jpg

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/perentie2.jpg

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/perentie3.jpg

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/perentie6.jpg

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/perentie7.jpg

[infernalis]

More stunning photography of Australia's largest and undoubtedly most beautiful Goanna. I truly hope these majestic creatures never make it into the private pet trade, they should be admired in the wild where they belong.

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/perentie8.jpg

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/perentie9.jpg

Juvenile Perentie (Varanus giganteus) - Kata Tjuta National Park, NT

uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/uluru/) Official site. Protect the World heritage lands.

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/perentie4.jpg

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/perentie1.jpg

[infernalis]

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/Josh.jpg

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/B1.jpg

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/B2.jpg

http://www.varanuspark.com/perentie/B3.jpg

[Mikoh4792]

Great shots, truly amazing. What about this particular species makes it your favorite?

How do you feel about other species of reptiles that are already in the private pet trade?

[Hurrok]

Those are some stunners, quite the long neck as well. It would be quite the site to see one of these in the wild. Thanks for sharing with us Wayne!

[infernalis]

Great shots, truly amazing. What about this particular species makes it your favorite?

How do you feel about other species of reptiles that are already in the private pet trade?

A. These are the Italian sports car of Varanidae. Sleek, powerful, extremely fast and stunning paint job.

B. My feelings on the pet trade are a double edge sword. It's great that it sparks interest in animals, However the sheer numbers of neglected exotic species be it through misunderstanding husbandry, negligence, financial burdens or refusal to accept that reptiles do not enjoy repeated molestation and being locked in boxes their whole (often abbreviated) lives tugs at my guts.

Now, my biggest reason for hoping that Perentie lizards never become pets, how in the heck could ANYONE provide for this!

614hIg2lNM8

[red ink]

Even in the land where they come from... a highly specialised animal that very few people keep.

You need a fairly large outdoor set up to keep these high octane beast in tip top shape. Most people that keep them are in the northern states or where the animals are endemic from to ease the burden of heating up a backyard.

[infernalis]

Even in the land where they come from... a highly specialised animal that very few people keep.

You need a fairly large outdoor set up to keep these high octane beast in tip top shape. Most people that keep them are in the northern states or where the animals are endemic from to ease the burden of heating up a backyard.

If I lived there, I would just be outside every day.

[red ink]

If I lived there, I would just be outside every day.

I was outside everyday in nearly 40C day hoping to find one for a week in Central Oz a couple of weeks ago (went to see the rock- freaking awesome)... sadly no such luck for me.

The only one I found was a V. gouldii on the road on the way to the airport going home, seconds before it got run over by a speeding taxi (the wanker didn't even show brake lights).

I manage to grab some pics just before my eyes teared up and watch it do a death roll and die.

The only goanna I see for the whole trip and I watched it go under the wheels within a metre of it (was trying to usher it off the road) - bit traumatised from it really.
I can't even bring myself to look at the pics since :(

A sad sour note on what was a great holiday... another reason why I don't really like textile wearing mammalian bi-pedals.

[stevenrudge]

A. These are the Italian sports car of Varanidae. Sleek, powerful, extremely fast and stunning paint job.

B. My feelings on the pet trade are a double edge sword. It's great that it sparks interest in animals, However the sheer numbers of neglected exotic species be it through misunderstanding husbandry, negligence, financial burdens or refusal to accept that reptiles do not enjoy repeated molestation and being locked in boxes their whole (often abbreviated) lives tugs at my guts.

Now, my biggest reason for hoping that Perentie lizards never become pets, how in the heck could ANYONE provide for this!

614hIg2lNM8
Thanks for sharing the pic's Wayne, fantastic animals,l have to agree about them not being available to the pet trade,it wont stop them though,you've just got to look at youtube,some rep forum pictures to see what goes on with some peoples unintended animal cruelty through either ignorance or total lack of care about the species kept needs(intended),grossly overweight snakes or monitors kept in unsuitable containers(small plastic boxs,draw type (vivs) for large pythons)morph crazys $$££ that take no account of any genetic long term damage,make no mistake l love the hobby and have been around for donkeys years but unless we as hobbyist don't start taking more responsibility with what we keep as pets,providing basic husbandry needs we're heading for long term decline

[Pirarucu]

What amazing animals. I in fact do feel they should be available to the pet trade. Not because I feel it is right to hold them captive, but because we must do everything we can to establish captive breeding populations of as many species as possible, in the private sector as well as in zoos. Otherwise almost every species on this planet is in danger of extinction.

[infernalis]

What amazing animals. I in fact do feel they should be available to the pet trade. Not because I feel it is right to hold them captive, but because we must do everything we can to establish captive breeding populations of as many species as possible, in the private sector as well as in zoos. Otherwise almost every species on this planet is in danger of extinction.

That whole point is pointless in itself. Zoological specimens are genetically documented, once they hit the private sector, all bets are off as to genetic quality of stock.

They key is to stop taking away the animal's natural habitats, and stop removing the animals from their habitats.

Stand up and protect the world heritage lands, don't steal her fauna.

It does us all no good to buy exotic animals when Australia is in conflict over dredging and dumping on the barrier reef, Africa is in a mercury smog from gold mining, Fukushima is still spewing radioactive water into the ocean, there is still BP sludge on the ocean floor in the gulf of Mexico, poachers are taking elephant tusks, rhino horns and shark fins at a sickening rate....

I'm sorry but the animals of the world deserve a fate greater than life in a box.......

http://images.mnn.com/sites/default/files/user/131413/kumbh_mela_pollution.jpg

[Pirarucu]

That whole point is pointless in itself. Zoological specimens are genetically documented, once they hit the private sector, all bets are off as to genetic quality of stock.

They key is to stop taking away the animal's natural habitats, and stop removing the animals from their habitats.

Stand up and protect the world heritage lands, don't steal her fauna.

It does us all no good to buy exotic animals when Australia is in conflict over dredging and dumping on the barrier reef, Africa is in a mercury smog from gold mining, Fukushima is still spewing radioactive water into the ocean, there is still BP sludge on the ocean floor in the gulf of Mexico, poachers are taking elephant tusks, rhino horns and shark fins at a sickening rate....

I'm sorry but the animals of the world deserve a fate greater than life in a box.......

http://images.mnn.com/sites/default/files/user/131413/kumbh_mela_pollution.jpg
Not necessarily. There is nothing stopping people from keeping track of the genetics of their animals. Regardless, even if every zoo was keeping Perenties, we don't have enough zoos to keep a sustainable population in captivity. On top of that, look at how few zoos are successful when it comes to monitors at all, let alone with Perenties. We could maintain only a few in zoos alone. We need the private sector. At the moment who is more successful when it comes to monitor husbandry? The small (but growing) group of private keepers that know what they're doing, or zoos? Just look at big cats in captivity, zoos depend on the private sector to maintain a large enough captive population. Just like reptile owners, the majority of large cat keepers keep them well. There are bad eggs, sure, but there are some pretty deplorable zoos out there too. I'm not saying that everyone should have a Perentie, but good, knowledgeable keepers should be able to get them. Do they belong in the wild? Absolutely. But since the wild is increasingly being polluted and consumed by mankind's "progress" as you pointed out, what future remains for animals in the wild? We must by all means necessary end the destruction of the natural world, but until we can achieve that, should we leave wild populations alone until it's too late?

Let's use a hypothetical example. Let's say V. olivaceus are still plentiful, but they will be in trouble soon. Would you establish a captive population, or do nothing while their habitat was destroyed, hoping you could stop it eventually?
I'm sorry Wayne. I have a tremendous amount of respect for you and everything you do, but on this we must agree to disagree.

[Donnie]

These are truly stunning, I would love to go and see them in the wild one day.

[infernalis]

Here is my point, what if the destiny of the human race is that we all have to spend eternity living in closet sized cells, our children are destined to live in closet size cells, their children, and so on...

I'd rather be text in a history book.

PLEASE...... I don't want to argue ethics of captivity.

I will give one example of MANY.

The San Francisco garter snake, protected and illegal to harvest / keep.

Is that stopping people? NO, are people hybridizing the species to get breeding stock? YES.

Are the offspring of these abominations genetically pure? NO

If we could release them, where would they go? The habitat is almost gone.

[infernalis]

Let's use a hypothetical example. Let's say V. olivaceus are still plentiful, but they will be in trouble soon. Would you establish a captive population, or do nothing while their habitat was destroyed, hoping you could stop it eventually?
I'm sorry Wayne. I have a tremendous amount of respect for you and everything you do, but on this we must agree to disagree.


Varanus olivaceus do terribly in confinement, Ask Ben Aller, ask Daniel Bennett, these creatures simply get sick and die.

As long as their habitat keeps getting mowed down for pineapple, coconut and oil palms, the species will perish.

[Pirarucu]

Exactly the problem. They most certainly perish in captivity as surely as they will in the wild. But do you truly believe that they are just genetically programmed to drop dead if confined to a box? Remember, older keeping techniques will kill other monitors in captivity very easily, so who is to say that we aren't just missing something when it comes to keeping olivaceus? It is far more likely that our husbandry is at fault, not the box.

You will never catch me saying that these animals belong in boxes. Never. Nor do I think most people should own them. In my opinion a minimum size for a monitor cage ought to be more like four times the length of the animal, not just twice. I am an idealist in every sense of the word, and I do not believe people should be keeping Perenties in ten foot boxes. But say a twenty or thirty foot long enclosure? Would keeping a Perentie in such a cage be so terrible?
I can't speak for whether their other requirements are being met or not, but is the size of this enclosure really so bad?
Australian Perentie Lizard Entertains - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6mLD7PVb2c)
http://www.pbase.com/crocdoc/image/67279061.jpg

[murrindindi]

But do you truly believe that they are just genetically programmed to drop dead if confined to a box? Remember, older keeping techniques will kill other monitors in captivity very easily, so who is to say that we aren't just missing something when it comes to keeping olivaceus? It is far more likely that our husbandry is at fault, not the box.



Hi, I totally agree with you, I don`t believe it`s the size of the box that kills them, more likely the conditions therein (though the size of the box is still "husbandry" to my mind).
I`m not sure having a box at least 4 times to adult length of a species will stop the (usually) premature deaths of most captive Varanids, it`s still a virtual "matchbox"!

[Pirarucu]

Oh I'm not saying the size of the box is the determining factor at all. Proper conditions are proper conditions, and they must be met before any success can be had.
I'm just saying that as far as space is concerned, I would consider the currently accepted minimums to be far too small to offer a monitor the space it really ought to have. A 4x cage would at least allow a bit of running space.

[murrindindi]

They key is to stop taking away the animal's natural habitats, and stop removing the animals from their habitats.

Stand up and protect the world heritage lands, don't steal her fauna.

I'm sorry but the animals of the world deserve a fate greater than life in a box.......



Hi Wayne, I think that what you say is very true, but in reality you, like most of us in the hobby contribute to the removal of these animals from the wild by insisting on having them with you, and in your case, for nothing more than an "experiment" (judging by what you`ve stated previously). And keeping two adult Savannah monitors in an 8 x 4 feet enclosure IS subjecting them to "solitary confinement" in every sense...
Then again, if the conditions support them in that tiny space they might still live long and (relatively) healthy lives (perhaps longer and healthier than if they`d remained in the wild)!?

[mdfmonitor]

It won't make no difference, humans will take till it's all gone, or just before!

then they'll try & put it back!!

there's no reason why you can't keep CBB in a box, if it's the right box or there abouts!

keepers with WC/CB should try & produce CBB!!

Imagine how many people would stop figthing for the wild if they hadn't at sometime put something in a box!!

[murrindindi]

Oh I'm not saying the size of the box is the determining factor at all. Proper conditions are proper conditions, and they must be met before any success can be had.
I'm just saying that as far as space is concerned, I would consider the currently accepted minimums to be far too small to offer a monitor the space it really ought to have. A 4x cage would at least allow a bit of running space.

I understood that`s what you meant (and still agree).
I`m not sure how many of us can afford some of the larger species that amount of space in an enclosure (not me, unfortunately), but I/we can hopefully make the most of what we've got available for them.

[mdfmonitor]

How much of these vids are staged, or is it all true wild perentie action?

[Mellik's mamma]

great photos infernalis? i take this is what you do for a living? you have my dream job. another dream of mine is to have an animal rescue farm and save as many abused, neglected animals (all types) as possible and hopefully find great, loving owners or better yet, get them back to their intended home.

i agree with you. animals should never be trapped. it kills me to see my mellik "exploring" her home only to find out she can't go any further. idk what to do about this. i feel she will be my last pet b/c i feel so guilty. i got her from people who could no longer have her. great people, they just couldn't afford her. part of me wants to release her in the wild (somewhere she could survive of course), but at this point is she too domesticated? does that even exist for ball pythons?

i have been tempted to start a thread about all of us coming together to form a group that helps save animals and their environment. wonder if anyone else is interested. and how could we do it? will probably start a thread so this idea doesn't take over yours.

[Mellik's mamma]

and i am not saying anyone who owns a pet is a horrible person. as long as the animals' needs are taken care of and they are happy, it doesn't bother me so much.. i just wish we lived in a world where EVERYONE respected nature like we all do. and we didn't have to worry about extinction (human caused). humans make me sick. not you guys of course. you are all superior to humans :)

[kriminaal]

Great pics Wayne. My favourite as well. Absolutely amazing colours and patterns.
We were supposed to get a pair from Australia Zoo up here in Canada at Indian River Reptile Zoo. As soon as the funds were raised for a proper habitat and built they would be shipped up by the Irwins.
Unfortunately I don't know what happened to those plans as the funds didn't roll in (whats wrong with people?) Just checked their website and don't see any mention of it.
Would be a 4 hr drive for me to go see them. But it would be worth it and cheaper than going to Oz.