AUSTRALIAN LACE MONITOR.

This is my Monday entry for the Daily Photo Challenges sponsored by @juliank

Theme: #animalphotography

Australian Lace Monitors are characterized by their dark blue scales intermingled with creamy, yellow and white ones. Sometimes larger spots may appear with blotchy areas. The Bells form of monitors are found along the east coast of Australia and in central areas too.

Their appearance features broad yellow and black cross bands and the same type of toes with long, strong claws, as all Lace Monitors which make climbing and digging easy for them.

They average 1.5 metres in length but they can grow up to 2 metres long. Lace Monitors lengthy tails are almost twice as long as their head and body. They are fond of retreating into hollow trees and logs in areas where the climate is very humid. Their diet consists of birds, insects, reptiles small mammals, carrion and nesting birds eggs. Lace Monitors are generally a solitary species apart from the breeding seasons in spring and early summer. Females give birth yearly and lay 6-12 eggs 4-6 weeks after mating.

The mother typically digs a hole in the side of a termite mound to lay her eggs. After which the termites obligingly close up the hole which is safe from predators but it also provides a steady and ideal incubation temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. 8 to 9 months later, the young hatch and the mother returns to dig them out.