Shared Space

We were able to capture this picture of a Sri Lankan Land Monitor sun bathing with the house cats on a roof top in Sri Lanka. Albeit the home owner’s attempts to cover the openings, this clever lizard had managed to creep in to the ceiling and make itself a home, thereby becoming a nuisance to the house hold.

However, the felines do not seem to be bothered, and appear to be willing to share the roof with this un-invited tenant.

Land monitors prefer warmer temperatures and are generally found in hot lowland areas in Sri Lanka. They sunbath in the morning to warm up their bodies and actively hunt during the hot mid-day. Since their diet consists of agricultural pests such as slugs and mice, farmers prefer these reptiles wandering in their farm lands. With the urbanising of landscape and diminishing of their preferred abode of termite mounts, it is not uncommon for land monitors to settle down in man made structures. Although most consider killing this harmless reptile as a cowardly act, land monitors are killed for their meat. There is a belief among some that feeding a growing child with its tongue would enhance oratory skills.