Dinosaur?? Naah, that’s Indian Monitor Lizard!!

February 11, 2021
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Every day during my morning walks near the campsite I would stop near a road side burrow to peep in. yes he is there, I would be happy and satisfied to see the tail of this huge Monitor lizard in the burrow. One sad day I peeped in and he was not to be seen, I looked around only to find him in the field all dead and covered with flies. Some stupid human has dragged him out and killed him without any fault of his. I really can never forgive myself I should have tried to rescue and rehabilitate him at a safe place in the forest.

I have observed Monitor lizards live near the human habitats, our old kitchen was home to one at Masankhamb. He would live among the wooden beams on the roof and never disturbed any of the kitchen proceedings. Many a times campers have observed them among the old fallen trees. They love to burrow themselves in crevices and cracks. Once campers photographed him basking in the sun on a fallen tree.

Their call resonate in the forest like a loud chuckle, they merge with tree bark so well that it is not easy to spot them unless there is a movement.

I recall seeing one with a group of students in the lawns of Dudhwa Range, a really majestic huge Monitor Lizard walking on all fours lazily on the grass looked no less than a dwarf Dinosaur!

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