Daily distance travelled and foraging areas of Varanus gouldii (Reptilia : Varanidae) in a semi-urban environment

Abstract

The foraging areas of Varanus gouldii were monitored by the spool-and-line technique over 51 consecutive days during October and November 1990 in Karrakatta Cemetery, Perth, Western Australia. The daily distance travelled by lizards varied markedly. The mean distance travelled was 111 -6m for days that varanids moved from their burrows. There was a weak positive correlation between the daily distance travelled and the maximum daily temperature and hours of daily sunshine. Some varanids moved their foraging areas from open unshaded sections of the cemetery into a more heavily treed area in November. The size of the daily foraging area for small varanids (<600g) was extremely variable (estimated median 300m*2); areas were greater in November than October. Some varanids moved to different foraging areas every few days.