Research On The Diet , Home Range And Daily Activity Of Monitor Lizards

As a major predator of both turtle eggs and hatchlings, water monitors (Varanus salvator) are estimated to reduce hatching productivity at the Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary by approximately 10%. Our research on their diet, home range and daily activity aims to improve our understanding of their ecology, eventually allowing us to better manage the threat they pose to the sea turtle hatchlings. By examining the stomach contents of monitor lizards around Chagar Hutang we hope to determine the proportion of turtle eggs and hatchlings in their diet, and evaluate the potential threat they pose to hatchling survival rates at our turtle sanctuary.

A turtle nest that has been excavated and raided by a monitor lizard
Asian water monitor caught at Chagar Hutang