G'day everyone,
Here's a little nature shot, taken a few minutes ago in our garden. We live on an acre that backs onto a 5000 acre national park so you get a fair few natives in the garden. This is a goanna, a monitor lizard and he's about six feet long. They eat carrion, birds eggs etc. They aren't dangerous unless you poke around with them. Under pressure, they want to climb so if your mate is the nearest upright looking thing, the goanna will run to him and climb him. Being climbed by a goanna is a very unnerving experience.
If you grab one they will definitely bite you and the wound is one of those animal bites that won't heal. Suggestions are that the bacteria from carrion in their mouth is the problem. Folklore says the wound reopens every 12 months but that's not correct. It just seems like that because the wound won't go away.
Quite good eating though.
So, here he is up one of the garden trees looking for a bird nest...
