Majestic Monitor Lizards on Koh Phangan

Monitor lizards are amazing to see no matter how many times you see them!

Varanus salvator macromaculatus or commonly known as Southeast Asian water monitors are the subspecies that inhabit the island of Koh Phangan.

The thai name is ‘Hea’.

As their name implies you will find them mostly near a water source but they can wander further.

Here at Phanganist we have a river very close by so we have a couple of resident monitors that often get scared up the trees by the crazy dogs or chased off into the river.

But they need not be afraid as these lizards are very good swimmers and use the raised fin on their tails to swim.

Monitor lizards are found all over Asia and sources state that huge ones are found in the sewers of Bangkok!

Males grow larger than females, up to five or six feet long! That’s some prehistoric style nature right there.

They can be quite intimidating if you see one but like most wild animals it will want to get away from you as quick as possible and they run off quite fast also!

The females can lay up to thirty eggs and bury these in holes then cover. Only a lucky few babies will survive but luckily monitor lizards are a protected species in Thailand.

Monitor lizards can live a long time, between eight to thirty years old and this may be down to their intelligence, living solitary and the fact that they have no predators.

Water monitors live off of a diet of fish, frogs, rodents, crabs, snakes and birds. They probably eat the smaller lizards that we often see including our favourite little geckos.

Koh Phangan’s monitor lizards are mostly grey or dark grey in colour on their body with markings. These markings differ depending on which area of Asia they live in.

They have a long neck which enables them to see around well  hence the name ‘monitor’ and their head is kind of flattened.

These lizards use their tails as defense so be careful of this if you’re close to one but these lizards really are very beautiful and majestic if they are not frightened so approach with calmness and you may get a nice quiet encounter with one of these giants on Koh Phangan!