Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Devon has got four new residents, and they’re as weird and wonderful as you could imagine. The blue tree monitor lizard is the latest animal to join Paignton Zoo. Four have joined the charity zoo, and are around 5 years old and 2 feet long – they are currently living in the reptile nursery.
Curator of Lower Vertebrates & Invertebrates Luke Harding said: “The European Reptile Working Group has recommended that more Zoos should be working with this species as very few people have bred them and documented their reproductive behaviour, so we really hope to breed them here. They also fit right in with the educational aspects of what we’re trying to achieve with our living collection at Paignton Zoo.”
This elusive species is a myth, not a lot is known about them in the wild. Truly a 21st century lizard, the blue monitors were only first discovered back in 2001. Their natural history remains a mystery, including their diet – although it is thought that they consume insects.
The lizards are indigenous to a tiny island in Indonesia, called Batanta. The species was named after herpetologist Duncan R. MacRae. It is said that the males can grow to around a metre. The tail, which is almost twice the length of the body, is prehensile and is used to grip tree branches.
Paignton Zoo Charity hopes to study the elusive species and shed some light on their habits, life and why they develop a blue colour. For more information on Paignton, click HERE.
< Back to the newsA vast collection of animals await visitors at Paignton Zoo including the rare Cuban crocodile, black rhino, sumatran tiger and giant tortoise.
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