Yellow-spotted Monitor
Sand Goanna
Sand Goannas Varanus panoptes and V . gouldii
What do they look like ? Large , familiar , yellowish to grey goannas to about 1.6 m total length with strong claws . Sometimes very heavy bodied .
Where do they live ? Two similar species of “ sand goanna ” occur in the region , the true Sand Goanna in the south and the Yellow-spotted Monitor in the north . Mostly found in drier country within the region , especially woodlands with sandy soils . Also found in semi-urban areas in more coastal parts of the region . Mostly ground dwelling and burrowing though will sometimes climb trees . Burrows often situated under rock or logs or sometimes in dirt piles left by road graders .
What do they need to live , eat and breed ? Strong , bold hunters and scavengers , sand goannas use their excellent sense of smell ( tongue-flicking like a snake ) and sight to find prey including buried prey like frogs or dragon lizards in their burrows . A wide variety of prey is consumed , mostly animals . Road kill is frequently eaten . Sand goannas use multiple burrows and need variety in ground cover and shelter in order to hunt and hide effectively . They lay soft-shelled eggs in a burrow deep underground .
When might I see ( or hear ) them ? Usually seen crossing roads on warm days .
What management actions affect this species ? Maintenance of ground cover , diverse , vigorous native pastures , uncompacted soil and structural diversity ensures sand goannas have a variety of food sources and shelter . Patch burning that leaves some ground cover , particularly fallen logs is desirable . Feral predators ( e . g . cats , foxes , pigs ) impact on sand goanna populations and baiting for dingoes may also affect them . Sand goanna numbers usually decline when Cane Toads arrive in new areas . They eat the toads and consequently are killed as a result of ingesting the toad ’ s poison . Many goannas get killed on roads , often as they scavenge for road kill .
How do they benefit the land I manage ? Sand goannas are ecological ‘ garbos ’, cleaning up rotting carcases . They feed on snakes , vermin and a wide variety of insects , especially grasshoppers which , in plague proportions may devastate crops and pastures . Their large and deep burrows aid water infiltration into soil .
Similar species : Lace Monitor in eastern parts of the region .
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