Indian Monitor mobbed by Common Myna

Many times we spot Monitors in our campus. There is a partially open rain-water drainage line running through our campus. It is working just like subway for reptiles. Indian Monitors usually seen near such drainage line, disappear in to it at first signal of danger. They are usually shy and avoid proximity of humans. They shows rapid movement on the ground, we saw them instantly climb up under the cars parked nearby, trying to escape from humans view!!! Although no toxicity has been reported in the Indian monitor, Locals here strongly believed these harmless lizards are venomous – frequently killed them.

We spotted these monitors at one sunny afternoon of August. It was flicking its forked tongue in and out in the manner of snake. It was hunting on the ground, preying on arthropods and sun basking. Suddenly a Common Myna came nearby and started to mob it. (Food of large Indian Monitors include ground birds and eggs) Indian monitor hide into water drainage instantly.

GMERS Medical College Campus, Dharpur, Patan, Gujarat, India

19^th August 2017

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One of the features of a civilized man is that he has hobbies, serious hobbies. From time immemorial man has invented and developed various hobbies ranging from stamp collection to feather collection. Though man has been a social animal for a long time, the primeval instinct in his has not died. We yearn and long to be close to nature. There are a few hobbies that give us an opportunity to do so. One such hobby is bird-watching. It might seem simple to read the word and guess that it is very easy to watch the birds. But it is not what it seems. It needs a lot of dedication, determination and consistency to master ‘the art of bird-watching.’ It takes years of patience and perseverance to be a good birdwatcher. What you choose as your hobby is not as important as to what hobby chooses you. You have to be the chosen one. Dr. Pankaj Maheria, a Professor at GMERS Medical College, Valsad (South Gujarat) is one such Chosen One. Birds have chosen him as a medium between their worl

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