Lace monitor on farm an inspiring sign of Black Summer recovery
February 3, 2025 10:57 PM Subscribe
Lace monitor an inspiring symbol of recovery five years after Black Summer bushfires. A 1.8-metre-long (5.9 feet long) lace monitor that walks around Robert Miller's dairy farm like it owns the place is the sign of rejuvenation he needed to see after years of healing from the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires. (Australia.)
Before 70 per cent of his New South Wales dairy farm burnt in the devastating bushfires of 2019–20, Robert Miller's property was teeming with wildlife.
"We saw lots of big lizards, lace monitors, goannas, blue tongues, snakes, and birds," he said.
"We have a billabong on the farm plus rainforest, so we have a pretty good setting for native wildlife."
The Currowan fire that hit his property in Milton five years ago burnt nearly 500,000 hectares across the state's south east.
"After the fires, the place was silent," Mr Miller said.
"The lack of insects was the big thing."
Since then he has been nursing his farm back to health, planting trees to replace the ones he lost, and hoping to see signs of fauna returning.
Before 70 per cent of his New South Wales dairy farm burnt in the devastating bushfires of 2019–20, Robert Miller's property was teeming with wildlife.
"We saw lots of big lizards, lace monitors, goannas, blue tongues, snakes, and birds," he said.
"We have a billabong on the farm plus rainforest, so we have a pretty good setting for native wildlife."
The Currowan fire that hit his property in Milton five years ago burnt nearly 500,000 hectares across the state's south east.
"After the fires, the place was silent," Mr Miller said.
"The lack of insects was the big thing."
Since then he has been nursing his farm back to health, planting trees to replace the ones he lost, and hoping to see signs of fauna returning.
"It's okay, the Earth will survive."
It's coming up for 8 years since I was first introduced to this phrase but increasingly it is something I am reminding myself of more frequently.
Whichever future this planet ends up in there will still be life. I hope there'll still be lace monitors.
posted by pipstar at 12:39 AM on February 4 [1 favorite]
It's coming up for 8 years since I was first introduced to this phrase but increasingly it is something I am reminding myself of more frequently.
Whichever future this planet ends up in there will still be life. I hope there'll still be lace monitors.
posted by pipstar at 12:39 AM on February 4 [1 favorite]
I don't have much land but I'm up against a large bush block and have probably the most trees of my immediate neighbours. We didn't suffer the fires (they were, however, close enough to drop ash on us - too close for comfort) but the drought was awful. However, after three of the rainiest years on record and one that's almost normal, I now have a four frog species in various bits of the place (up from three previously), four species of bee (3 native, and of which 1 - blue banded - that I've never seen here before). I have three varieties of snake including one (yellow faced whip snake - a frog hunter) that is completely new to me. I've got bluetongue lizards all over the place, Eastern long-neck tortoises, echidnas, and bird species that I haven't seen here before as well (goshawk, whip bird etc). Most tellingly, the birds that were here during the drought are no longer begging for food. They'll happily eat whatever little bit I put out from time to time, but they no longer sit and wait for me every time I leave the house which is how I prefer my wild birds. The lawn doesn't get mowed much any more and the whole place looks a bit wild and overgrown but to me that's actually the most positive thing that I've done amidst neighbours that are lawn mad. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to leave things the fuck alone.
posted by ninazer0 at 1:18 AM on February 4 [12 favorites]
posted by ninazer0 at 1:18 AM on February 4 [12 favorites]
"There is a dragon in my yard. Nature is healing" - Australia.
posted by srboisvert at 3:06 AM on February 4 [9 favorites]
posted by srboisvert at 3:06 AM on February 4 [9 favorites]
Well, I spent a bit of time watching videos of lace monitors walking around. They are quite the mix of goofy, efficient, and swaggering.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:35 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:35 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]
Side view of lace monitors walking, climbing, and swimming. I was wondering about the extreme about of side motion in the video from the article, but it's hardly visible from a side view.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 6:26 AM on February 4 [1 favorite]
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 6:26 AM on February 4 [1 favorite]
I might not have been the only one who saw the headline and thought it would be something about the handicraft and computer screens.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 7:25 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 7:25 AM on February 4 [2 favorites]
They are definitely not dinosaurs with that gait. Are they relatives of Komodo dragons and if so, are they venomous, too?
posted by y2karl at 8:42 AM on February 4
posted by y2karl at 8:42 AM on February 4
→
I was thinking more of a helper animal who'd advise if you'd come untied and were in danger of tripping
posted by scruss at 8:45 AM on February 4
handicraft and computer screens.
I was thinking more of a helper animal who'd advise if you'd come untied and were in danger of tripping
posted by scruss at 8:45 AM on February 4
Are they relatives of Komodo dragons
Yes! Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA shows the Komodo dragon to be the closest relative (sister taxon) of the Australian lace monitor (V. varius), with their common ancestor diverging from a lineage that gave rise to the crocodile monitor (Varanus salvadorii) of New Guinea.
Lace monitors and komodo dragons are the same genus and the same sub-genus.
Lace Monitors are
Order = Squamata
Family = Varanidae
Genus = Varanus
Subgenus = Varanus
Species = V. varius
Komodo dragons are
Order = Squamata
Family = Varanidae
Genus = Varanus
Subgenus = Varanus
Species = V. komodoensis
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:48 AM on February 4 [4 favorites]
Yes! Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA shows the Komodo dragon to be the closest relative (sister taxon) of the Australian lace monitor (V. varius), with their common ancestor diverging from a lineage that gave rise to the crocodile monitor (Varanus salvadorii) of New Guinea.
Lace monitors and komodo dragons are the same genus and the same sub-genus.
Lace Monitors are
Order = Squamata
Family = Varanidae
Genus = Varanus
Subgenus = Varanus
Species = V. varius
Komodo dragons are
Order = Squamata
Family = Varanidae
Genus = Varanus
Subgenus = Varanus
Species = V. komodoensis
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:48 AM on February 4 [4 favorites]
Are lace monitors venomous?
Somewhat, but not as strongly as komodo dragons.
"Venom glands in lace monitors have been confirmed. The venom is similar to that produced by snakes but not enough to cause serious harm. In late 2005, University of Melbourne researchers discovered that all monitors may be somewhat venomous. Previously, bites inflicted by monitors were thought to be prone to infection because of bacteria in their mouths, but the researchers showed that the immediate effects were more likely caused by envenomation. Bites on the hand by lace monitors have been observed to cause swelling within minutes, localised disruption of blood clotting, and shooting pain up to the elbow, which can often last for several hours.
In vitro testing showed lace monitor mouth secretion impacts on platelet aggregation, drops blood pressure and relaxes smooth muscle; the last effect mediated by an agent with the same activity as brain natriuretic peptide. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry found ample proteins with molecular masses of 2-4 kilodaltons (corresponding with natriuretic peptide), 15 kilodaltons (type III Phospholipase A2), and 23-25 kilodaltons (cysteine-rich secretory proteins and kallikrein) in these secretions.
Washington State University biologist Kenneth V. Kardong and toxicologists Scott A. Weinstein and Tamara L. Smith, have cautioned that labelling these species as venomous oversimplifies the diversity of oral secretions in reptiles, and overestimates the medical risk of bite victims."
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:51 AM on February 4 [4 favorites]
Somewhat, but not as strongly as komodo dragons.
"Venom glands in lace monitors have been confirmed. The venom is similar to that produced by snakes but not enough to cause serious harm. In late 2005, University of Melbourne researchers discovered that all monitors may be somewhat venomous. Previously, bites inflicted by monitors were thought to be prone to infection because of bacteria in their mouths, but the researchers showed that the immediate effects were more likely caused by envenomation. Bites on the hand by lace monitors have been observed to cause swelling within minutes, localised disruption of blood clotting, and shooting pain up to the elbow, which can often last for several hours.
In vitro testing showed lace monitor mouth secretion impacts on platelet aggregation, drops blood pressure and relaxes smooth muscle; the last effect mediated by an agent with the same activity as brain natriuretic peptide. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry found ample proteins with molecular masses of 2-4 kilodaltons (corresponding with natriuretic peptide), 15 kilodaltons (type III Phospholipase A2), and 23-25 kilodaltons (cysteine-rich secretory proteins and kallikrein) in these secretions.
Washington State University biologist Kenneth V. Kardong and toxicologists Scott A. Weinstein and Tamara L. Smith, have cautioned that labelling these species as venomous oversimplifies the diversity of oral secretions in reptiles, and overestimates the medical risk of bite victims."
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 8:51 AM on February 4 [4 favorites]
I was thinking it looked basically like a komodo, but it doesn't have the swagger.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 10:01 AM on February 4
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 10:01 AM on February 4
A) chariot pulled by cassowaries, you - yes, you! - are best of the web.
B) big stompy lizard! Yay!
posted by prismatic7 at 11:57 AM on February 4
B) big stompy lizard! Yay!
posted by prismatic7 at 11:57 AM on February 4
But do lace monitors have iron edged teeth like Komodo dragons?
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:08 PM on February 4
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:08 PM on February 4
Well, I spent a bit of time watching videos of lace monitors walking around. They are quite the mix of goofy, efficient, and swaggering.
posted by GenjiandProust
I was thinking the same thing! Totally mesmerized by that walk.
It is wonderful that they are coming back.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:58 PM on February 4
posted by GenjiandProust
I was thinking the same thing! Totally mesmerized by that walk.
It is wonderful that they are coming back.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:58 PM on February 4
I've never seen one that big in person, only about 1.2 or 1.5m (which is still big, but less all-around chonk) but they are just magnificent animals. They have a kind of gravitas, like something unbelievably ancient. Kind of like a crocodile but without quite the menace or potential for violence.
Anyway it is very exciting thank you.
posted by prismatic7 at 10:45 PM on February 4
Anyway it is very exciting thank you.
posted by prismatic7 at 10:45 PM on February 4
Envenomation is my new favorite word of this week.
posted by y2karl at 1:05 AM on February 6 [1 favorite]
posted by y2karl at 1:05 AM on February 6 [1 favorite]
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