This is a special kind of friendship, one would hardly believe. On one end of this bonding is Indian Desert Monitor (locally known as Goh)- a creature misunderstood as deadly poisonous as King Kobra and on the other end is a scientist who has dedicated his efforts to save this endangered specie. Goh is the first love of Dr. Narendra Singh Rathore the Deputy Director of Desert Regional Station, Zoological Survey of India-ZSI .(In Hindi: Bhartiya Prani Sarvekshan ki Maru Pradeshik Shakha) Their love story begins in 1958 and
Drought condition prevailing in Rajasthan has resulted shifting of several wild species towards villages. In search of food and water many of these animals are falling prey to the hands of villagers. Now scientists have come forward to protect Monitor-the giant Indian lizard mostly killed because of misconceptions.
Also known as Goh, the Indian Desert Monitor can be traced frequently at the outskirts of Jodhpur City now. With flexible head, mouth wide open, snake like tongue and hissing sound there are so many stories among the villagers about their attacking pattern and poisonous bite. Such myths and related stories are playing major role in creating a fear for this cool and calm creature.
Scientists from Desert Regional Station of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) keeping in the view of these misconceptions have re-launched their special campaign, which was initiated in 1972. “We want to spread awareness among people by demonstrating the real nature of Goh,” says ZSI’s Deputy Director Dr. N. S. Rathore.
Whenever a Monitor is reported from any village these scientists will tell the villagers not to kill the animal. Dr. Rathore conducts practical demonstration with Goh to prove that it neither bite nor attack the human beings. It is very shy in nature and quite defensive while followed. Studies show that in case of a threat a monitor’s first concern is to escape. Dog bite is hundred times dangerous than the bite of a monitor, which is also a rare case.
Natural habitat of monitor has been destroyed by the ecological changes. Introduction of Indira Gandhi Canal has brought human activities to many of these habitats and villagers are killing the monitor fearing attack from them. Many tribal communities like Jogi, Bheel etc. killing them for meat or for skin used for making purse, belt and shoes. Drought condition will result shifting of these animals towards populated areas and encounter with the villagers, Dr. Rathore points out.
Dr. R.C. Sharma Senior Zoologist at ZSI had conducted a survey and an awareness programme in 1989 at Sawai Madhopur, Jhalawar, Kota, Bundi and Bhilwara districts. Dr. Sharma said that Marathas used the gripping power of monitor and using them, captured most insurmountable enemy forts. They used to tie rope around the loins of the monitor and sent up a wall too high to climb. “At the top of the wall, the monitor holds on its grip fast enough to support the weight of a man scaling the rope.
Scientists are planning frequent visits to the locations where there is a possibility of tracing a monitor. They are trying to contact school children to make them aware about the harmlessness of monitor. Recently Dr. Rathore demonstrated a monitor at the Botanical Survey of India campus near Subhash Nagar about seven kilometers from here. The message is just “Let him Survive” and scientists are confident about the success.
Desert Monitor (Common Name in Rajasthan: Goh)
Status: Endangered, FWS Description: Grows to 59.1 in (150 cm) in length; grayish-brown to yellow-brown above, with crossbars on the back and tail; two to three longitudinal lines on the neck; underparts are dotted with yellowish spots; snout is depressed; nostril is closer to the eye than the tip of the snout; head scales are larger than the nuchal scales. Habitat: Sandy desert, sometimes with rocky hills, with sparse vegetation. Food: Small rodents, lizards, snakes, scorpions, and insects. Threats: Conversion of habitat for agricultural use, poaching. Range: Africa (north), Asia (central), India (northwest)
Threats
The habitat of Goh has been widely converted to agricultural use. International trade in the skins of the desert monitor is prohibited. It is also often killed by local people, many of whom fear the lizard and often falsely believe it to be poisonous. Key to the conservation of the desert monitor is public education about the benefits it provides by eating injurious insects and poisonous snakes. It must also be protected from commercial hunting, particularly in regions where it is relatively scarce.
General characteristics: The Desert or Grey Monitor has a snout-vent length 560-579 mm, tail 865-870 mm.
The Indo-Pak sub specie has 4 transverse bands, while the tail has 10-15 transverse bands. Indo-Pak Desert Monitor is the smallest subspecies of V.griseus. Males reach a maximum length of 84cm TL (37cm SVL) and a weight of 580g. Females grow to 75cm TL (34cm SVL) and weigh up to 520g. Sexual maturity, for females at least, is attained at about 24cm SVL.
Biology:It is very secretive monitor and is more active during the early hours of the day, spending most of its time in its burrow. It feeds on rodents, lizards, snakes, birds, eggs, frogs, and toads.
When encountered, it stiffens its legs to raise its body which is arched outward, and snarls and hisses vigorously by squeezing and inflating its body. The neck is puffed, and the tongue is extended largely, while the tail is vigorously lashed from side to side.
The Indo-Pak Desert Monitor is inactive between December and March, or at least they stop feeding. Corkill (1928) records that they do not hibernate and are seen throughout the day during the winter, and only in early morning and late afternoon during the summer.
Drought condition prevailing in Rajasthan has resulted shifting of several wild species towards villages. In search of food and water many of these animals are falling prey to the hands of villagers. Now scientists have come forward to protect Monitor-the giant Indian lizard mostly killed because of misconceptions.
Also known as Goh, the Indian Desert Monitor can be traced frequently at the outskirts of Jodhpur City now. With flexible head, mouth wide open, snake like tongue and hissing sound there are so many stories among the villagers about their attacking pattern and poisonous bite. Such myths and related stories are playing major role in creating a fear for this cool and calm creature.
Scientists from Desert Regional Station of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) keeping in the view of these misconceptions have re-launched their special campaign, which was initiated in 1972. “We want to spread awareness among people by demonstrating the real nature of Goh,” says ZSI’s Deputy Director Dr. N. S. Rathore.
Whenever a Monitor is reported from any village these scientists will tell the villagers not to kill the animal. Dr. Rathore conducts practical demonstration with Goh to prove that it neither bite nor attack the human beings. It is very shy in nature and quite defensive while followed. Studies show that in case of a threat a monitor’s first concern is to escape. Dog bite is hundred times dangerous than the bite of a monitor, which is also a rare case.
Natural habitat of monitor has been destroyed by the ecological changes. Introduction of Indira Gandhi Canal has brought human activities to many of these habitats and villagers are killing the monitor fearing attack from them. Many tribal communities like Jogi, Bheel etc. killing them for meat or for skin used for making purse, belt and shoes. Drought condition will result shifting of these animals towards populated areas and encounter with the villagers, Dr. Rathore points out.
Dr. R.C. Sharma Senior Zoologist at ZSI had conducted a survey and an awareness programme in 1989 at Sawai Madhopur, Jhalawar, Kota, Bundi and Bhilwara districts. Dr. Sharma said that Marathas used the gripping power of monitor and using them, captured most insurmountable enemy forts. They used to tie rope around the loins of the monitor and sent up a wall too high to climb. “At the top of the wall, the monitor holds on its grip fast enough to support the weight of a man scaling the rope.
Scientists are planning frequent visits to the locations where there is a possibility of tracing a monitor. They are trying to contact school children to make them aware about the harmlessness of monitor. Recently Dr. Rathore demonstrated a monitor at the Botanical Survey of India campus near Subhash Nagar about seven kilometers from here. The message is just “Let him Survive” and scientists are confident about the success.
Desert Monitor (Common Name in Rajasthan: Goh)
Status: Endangered, FWS Description: Grows to 59.1 in (150 cm) in length; grayish-brown to yellow-brown above, with crossbars on the back and tail; two to three longitudinal lines on the neck; underparts are dotted with yellowish spots; snout is depressed; nostril is closer to the eye than the tip of the snout; head scales are larger than the nuchal scales. Habitat: Sandy desert, sometimes with rocky hills, with sparse vegetation. Food: Small rodents, lizards, snakes, scorpions, and insects. Threats: Conversion of habitat for agricultural use, poaching. Range: Africa (north), Asia (central), India (northwest)
Threats
The habitat of Goh has been widely converted to agricultural use. International trade in the skins of the desert monitor is prohibited. It is also often killed by local people, many of whom fear the lizard and often falsely believe it to be poisonous. Key to the conservation of the desert monitor is public education about the benefits it provides by eating injurious insects and poisonous snakes. It must also be protected from commercial hunting, particularly in regions where it is relatively scarce.
General characteristics: The Desert or Grey Monitor has a snout-vent length 560-579 mm, tail 865-870 mm.
The Indo-Pak sub specie has 4 transverse bands, while the tail has 10-15 transverse bands. Indo-Pak Desert Monitor is the smallest subspecies of V.griseus. Males reach a maximum length of 84cm TL (37cm SVL) and a weight of 580g. Females grow to 75cm TL (34cm SVL) and weigh up to 520g. Sexual maturity, for females at least, is attained at about 24cm SVL.
Biology:It is very secretive monitor and is more active during the early hours of the day, spending most of its time in its burrow. It feeds on rodents, lizards, snakes, birds, eggs, frogs, and toads.
When encountered, it stiffens its legs to raise its body which is arched outward, and snarls and hisses vigorously by squeezing and inflating its body. The neck is puffed, and the tongue is extended largely, while the tail is vigorously lashed from side to side.
The Indo-Pak Desert Monitor is inactive between December and March, or at least they stop feeding. Corkill (1928) records that they do not hibernate and are seen throughout the day during the winter, and only in early morning and late afternoon during the summer.
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