Goanna Dined On His Rodent Bedmate

Northern Advocate, 12 January 1948, Page 3

Goanna Dined On His Rodent Bedmate

WELLINGTON.—Removed from his native Australia, a goanna owned by Mr R. Williams recently spent two days with a rat in a glass case at Seatoun. Both were happy.

And neither of them sought an introduction. Apparently each was quite unaware of the other’s presence. By day the goanna spent his time in the open but retired beneath the straw in his case when night fell.For his part, the rat hid under the straw by day and came into the open at night. On the third day the goanna ambled out from under the straw with a smug look on his face. The rat was never seen again. lIE, IS POPULAR The goanna, or, more properly, lace monitor (varanus varius) is popular on Australian homesteads where snakes and crocodiles are numerous because he likes to eat their eggs, thus keeping the reptile population in check.

His main advantage is his ability to move at tremendous speed in short sprints, during which he can touch 60 miles an hour. This enables him to make a quick getaway from troublesome enemies. But it also aids hunters to capture him without much difficulty because he is easily winded, and, once blown, can be caught without undue effort. Mr Williams' goanna is sft lOin. long and can break a dog’s leg with one blow from his tail. It takes four people to feed him when he’s in an obstreperous mood —one to hold his tail, one to hold his body, a third to open his mouth, and fourth to push food down his throat. Usually, though, he’s auite calm and peaceful. MANY OTHER REPTILES Other reptiles owned by Mr Williams include water dragoons (g'onyocephalus godeft'royi) and bearded dragoons or Jew lizards (amphibolurus barbatus). When they came into his care, the water dragoons had rubbed all the skin off their noses in an effort to escape from the wire-meshed cages in which they had been transported. Now, in their Seatoun home, they will lie for hours without'batting an eyelid. Then, without warning, they will jump to the roof of their showcases to chase some unsuspecting fly which has landed there oblivious of the reptiles’ presence. LOOK FIERCE

The bearded dragoons can do no more than look fierce. Their danger-ous-looking spiked coats are as soft as down to the touch.

One feature of this creature humans might well envy is its ability to relax. He is able to collapse his ribs before stretching fiat in the sun. Mr Williams said that the importations of reptiles into New Zealand is subject to strict control. They can be brought into the country only under licence, and, when they die, they must be sent to the museum authorities, who then issue a certificate of death.