On an afternoon walk (which I do every day) through the scrub (bush), I heard some noises and stopped to investigate. My walking companion, Lola, showed me the cause of the ruffle. I took a picture.
If you can spot it in 10 seconds, You have good eyes. Otherwise, time for new glasses? No prize for spotting it, though ;-)
Hint: Goanna: a large (to 2m long head-to-tip-of-tail) monitor lizard (a cousin of Thailand’s well-known varanids - เหี้ย), goanna is the corrupted name given by [Australian] early settlers in the mistaken belief that they were [like South African] igoanna. This one is about 90-100 cm long.
There are mixed (good and bad omens or) beliefs for seeing goanna (go-an-na) in our home in Thai culture. We may subscribe to one that says coming fortune (ตัวเงินตัวทอง), or to one that says rogue in power (เหี้ยขึ้นบ้าน or เหี้ยขึ้นเมือง) (as it is now in election time). Conservationists and animal lovers would it is a sign of time of abundance because voranids prey on small animals near water reservoirs.
In my case, with wild birds and ducks hatching near the dam, a big goanna is known to take several chicks in one attack. Sometimes, kill the whole brood and left several chicks dead about the nest. It is not good news. But they are protected by laws. They are not to be harmed or interfered with in any way. Sigh!
[I also have other problems with brush turkeys destroying my garden and fruit crops. They are also protected by law. But that is another story, another time.]
