Lanthanotus borneensis

Borneo earless lizard  

DISTRIBUTION: Lanthanotus borneensis is found in Malaysian Borneo (excluding Sabah), Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan), and Brunei Darussalam. (For detailed distribution data, refer to the IUCN Red List Status).

RED LIST STATUS: Endangered (EN) in 2019

CITES: Appendix II

NATIONAL PROTECTION:

Indonesia: According to the Regulation of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, NOMOR P.20/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/6/2018 concerning the Designation of Protected Plant and Animal Species, L. borneensis is listed as a protected species.  http://ksdae.menlhk.go.id/assets/news/peraturan/P.20_Jenis_TSL_.pdf

Malaysia (Sarawak): Under the First Schedule [Section 2(1), Part I] of the Wild Life Protection Ordinance, 1998 (Chapter 26), Lanthanotus borneensis is classified as a totally protected species in Sarawak.  https://forestry.sarawak.gov.my/modules/web/pages.php?mod=webpage&sub=page&id=790&menu_id=0&sub_id=205

Brunei Darussalam: According to the First Schedule [Sections 2, 7, 8, and 9] Part A: Protected Animals of the Wild Life Protection Act, 1984 (Chapter 102), L. borneensis is designated as a protected species.

THREATS: Since the 1970s urbanization and other anthropogenic activities, such as palm oil plantations (requiring the drainage of wetlands), have contributed to severe habitat loss, especially over the past 20 years. Alamgir et al. (2020) stated that the undergoing infrastructure developments that is currently responsible for deforestation, is overtly disregarding the high conservation value of Bornean rainforests. A majority of the plantations on the island exist on an industrial-scale, with sizes generally over 10 km2 (Hughes, 2018). Moreover, future plans consist of developing hydroelectric dams, as Sarawak possesses large rivers. Similar to the Terengganu dam situation in peninsular Malaysia, this will lead to the decrease in the area’s herpetofaunal species richness (Izam et al., 2020). While the direct effects of these activities towards L. borneensis have not been assessed, human activities, such as massive timber extraction may have affected the habitat of the target species in the past (Harrisson, 1965). Furthermore, illegal collection of specimens for the international pet industry has threatened the status of this species in the wild (Nijman & Stoner, 2014; Shepherd 2023; Shepherd & Shepherd 2024).

RESEARCH NEEDS: Assess current distribution pattern; conduct population density surveys; study seasonal habitat use; create awareness campaigns in local communites; investigate the efficacy of national protection measures; examine offtake levels for trade purposes (national/international) and national captive breeding efforts at governmental registered facilities; evaluate the implementation of a monitoring program and adaptive management plan; population genetics > forensic DNA analysis, study the behavioral reproduction (e.g. nesting behaviour), parasitical infestations, thermoregulation and hydroregulation; further research also includes niche partitioning and therein ontogenetic differences; also studies to assess the implementation of translocation strategies, growth, diet, trophic ecology, ecotoxicology are needed

CURRENT PROJECTS: Sarawak – A research project was carried out from 2019 to 2023 in Sarawak, Malaysia. This research aimed to investigate the natural history of the target species, through understanding its resource preferences. This was achieved by studying the species’ microhabitat utilization, movement patterns, ethnoherpetological significance and thermal ecology.

Sarawak – As a continuation of the previous research, further ecological work, including an assessment of the species’ distributional range, is currently being conducted in Sarawak.

References referred to:

Alamgir M, Campbell MJ, Sloan S, Engert J, Word J, & Laurance WF (2020) Emerging challenges for sustainable development and forest conservation in Sarawak, Borneo. PLoS One, 15(3), Article e0229614. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0229614

Hughes AC (2018) Have Indo-Malaysian forests reached the end of the road? Biological Conservation, 223, 129–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.04.029

Izam NAM, Nazron NS, Nazir NAM, Shukor AM, Ilias R, Ahmad A, Grismer LL, Nor SM, & Ahmad N (2020) Sustainable dam development: A Study of dam environmental impact on the herpetofauna in Hulu Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. In L. Mohd Sidek, G. H. A. Salih, & M. H. Boosroh (Eds.), ICDSME 2019. Water Resources Development and Management (pp. 457–467). Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1971-0_46

Harrisson T (1965) A future for Borneo’s wildlife? Oryx, 8(2), 99–104. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605300004130

Das I, & Auliya M (2021) Lanthanotus borneensis. The IUCN Red List of threatened species 2021. Article e.T102342572A102342580. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T102342572A102342580.en

Janssen J (2018) Valuable varanoids: Surveys of reptile traders in Japan reveal monitor lizards without import records. Biawak, 12(2), 84–90.

Nijman V, & Stoner S (2014) Keeping an ear to the ground: Monitoring the trade in Earless Monitor Lizards. TRAFFIC, Petaling Jaya.

Shepherd CR (2023) First seizure of trafficked Earless Monitor Lizards (Lanthanotus borneensis) in Vietnam with additional notes on illegal trade. Reptiles and Amphibians, 30: e20089.

Shepherd L, Shepherd CR (2024) Largest Seizure of Earless Monitor Lizards
Lanthanotus borneensis in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Reptiles & Amphibians, https://doi.org/10.17161/randa.v31i1.22312