Panay monitor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Panay monitor |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Varanus
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| Species: |
mabitang
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The Panay monitor (scientific name: Varanus mabitang) is a special kind of monitor lizard. It lives only on Panay Island in the Philippines. What makes it unique is its diet: unlike most monitor lizards, it mainly eats fruit! This makes it a frugivore. Sadly, this amazing lizard is an endangered animal.
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Where the Panay Monitor Lives
The Panay monitor lives only on Panay Island. You can find it in the remaining forests in the northwestern and western mountains. These forests are usually found at heights of about 200 to 1000 meters above sea level. This lizard spends most of its time in trees, which means it is very arboreal. It needs these old, untouched forests to survive.
What the Panay Monitor Looks Like
This is a large monitor lizard. It can grow to be about 1.75 meters (5.7 feet) long from its nose to the tip of its tail. Its body, from snout to vent (the opening where waste leaves the body), is about 70 centimeters (2.3 feet) long. A full-grown Panay monitor can weigh around 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds).
Why the Panay Monitor Needs Our Help
The Panay monitor is listed as an endangered animal by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever. A big reason for this is that its home, the forest, is shrinking. People also hunt these lizards, even though they are rare.
Since 2002, only about twelve Panay monitors have been found. This shows how rare they are. Experts believe there are fewer than 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of suitable habitat left. The actual area where they live might be less than 200 square kilometers (77 square miles). Their population is also very spread out and broken into small groups. This is mostly because lowland forests are being cleared and damaged. It is very important to protect these lizards right now to stop them from becoming extinct.
Dangers Facing the Panay Monitor
The Panay monitor faces serious dangers, mainly from losing its forest home.
Forest Loss and Farming
One of the biggest threats is that its forest home is being destroyed. People are turning forest land into farms, especially using a method called slash-and-burn. This means cutting down trees and burning them to clear land. This happens a lot in the lowland forests of Panay Island, which are very important for the lizard. We need to stop these activities to save the lizard's home.
Illegal Logging
Illegal logging also harms the Panay monitor. When trees are cut down illegally, the forest habitat shrinks. This also messes up the natural balance of the forest. The Panay monitor needs the evergreen lowland forest to live. So, illegal logging is a huge problem for its survival.
Hunting Threats
Even though the Panay monitor is rarely eaten because it's so scarce, it is still hunted. Because there are so few of these lizards, even a small amount of hunting can be very harmful. The combination of losing their homes and being hunted makes it very hard to protect the Panay monitor.
