Three Black Tree Monitor lizards have arrived at Newquay Zoo.
The lizards, who are all brothers, are situated in a enclosure on the top floor of the atmospheric tropical house and are the latest in a range of new species to the exhibit.Animal Collections Manager John Meek said ‘‘Its great to have these three with us as we are the only UK zoo to have them, and visitors love the way they look so prehistoric. Like all lizards living in tropical forests, their habitat has come under threat, so it’s fantastic to have some here at Newquay. The plan is to start a breeding programme with them in the near future.’’
Other new species that have recently joined the zoo’s tropical house exhibit are Curly tail lizards and the Asian foam-nesting tree frog. The tropical house is one of the most popular exhibits at the zoo, with an open rainforest where visitors can spend time spotting a variety of exotic animals amongst the temple ruins.
Black tree monitors are born in various shades of green, but turn completely black as they reach adulthood. Like other monitors they have long, sharp claws and strong jaws which allow them to hold on to their prey. They mainly eat insects, but larger monitors have been known to eat birds and even other lizards. They live in trees, and their tail is prehensile, allowing them to balance and grip branches using the tail as an extra limb. Black tree monitors originate from the Aru Islands, which are off the coast of western New Guinea.
Click Here for Further Information
