Water monitor lizard on the tree

[Abhirup Dutta Gupta]

CANON 60D,SIGMA 150-500 MM OS, 20% CROP.No vertical available.In Bhitarkanika,Dangmal,Orissa.

[Mrudul Godbole]

Recently in Sunderbans we sighted a water monitor resting on a tree. Nice to see this one climbing a coconut tree. From which side is this image cropped? Can you please post the original image to compare. Thanks for sharing.

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Nice details. May be 5-6 feet long. Just I am looking at the claws.
Even with such claws, it is normally no match for an adult Fishing Cat of the Sundarbans!
Thanks for sharing. SaktiWild

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Nice... they regularly raid bird and squirrel nests on trees and are good climbers...the trouble starts when they have to come down in a hurry. I saw one simply drop itself on the ground from a height of over 15 feet on seeing me.

TFS
Roopak

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Abhirup,
You may make a conscious mental note of the need to click images in vertical orientation. At times for editorial purposes, a vertical would be more useful.

Nice to see a monitor lizard climbing up a coconut tree. One can realise from this image why it would have climbed up a tree, as Roopak mentions. On another note, I guess it would be hilarious to see a monitor lizard scamper down/fall from a tree. As far as climbing down a tree is concerned, apart from the leopard, I have found sloth bears to be lightening quick. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Debasis Bose]

Nice capture, I am yet to see a monitor lizard climbing a tree