vocalizing

[reptiguy123]

Do any species of monitors vocalize (besides hissing, of course)?

[reptiguy123]

Just wondering why nobody is answering. Is it because nobody knows, or was it a stupid question. I usually try to look at other forums and do research on this type of thins, but I didn't see anything and was just curious.:)

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Hey, well sorry no one is replying. I cant answer that, however i dont think they do. Besides hissing like you said. They do use body language however.

[mbayless]

This is a good question. It has an answer that may surprise you. I too thought varanus only hiss, hence their acute hearing; however Mary Akeley, wife of great taxidermist Carl Akeley @ tun of century - she went on a trip to Africa, to bury her husband Carl ~1905. In her exploits written some 10 years later of her African trip she discussed in 1 paragraph how the water iguana (= Varanus niloticus) vocalizes, other than the customary hissing often seen.

I thought this was an isolated incident. Then some people began to ask me about water monitor (V. salvator) vocalizing - so the records increased, although slowly. Then in 1998, a paper in Hamadryad was written on the vocalization of V. salvator and other anecdotal reports on this phenomena in Varanus - apparently they do...a little discussed behavior that should be looked at with great scrutiny....

Have you 'thought' you heard your Varanus vocalize?

cheers,
markb

[V.hb]

Hey Mark, this is interesting as iam sure I read somewhere that Nile monitors have been recorded to vocalize to other nile monitors in order to raid croc nests and distract crocs. Sounded like a myth to me but being a varanid freak it got my interest..

[reptiguy123]

I didn't think I heard it, I was just wondering:D What types of bady language do they use (aggressive, mating, etc.)?