MEETINGS

MEETINGS

include conferences, workshops, training courses and seminars dealing explicitly with monitor lizards:

10th WORLD CONFERENCE OF HERPETOLOGY in Kuching (Sarawak, Malaysia) 5-9 August 2024

During the 10th WCH in Kuching 10 talks and posters were presented on Varanus spp. and Lanthanotus.

[Authors indicated by an “M” are members of the Monitor Lizard Specialist Group]
  1. How Many Hilitai? Estimating Population Parameters of a Varanid Lizard using Spatial Capture Recapture by Jack Christie, David Garcelon & Dan Barton > estimating abundance and density of Mariana monitors (Varanus tsukamotoi)
  2. A New Record of the Enigmatic Earless Monitor Lizard (Lanthanotus borneensis) from Brunei Darussalam by Justin Jeffrey, Jerry S. H. Wong, Joremy Tony & Ulmar Grafe > record of Lanthanotus borneensis in Brunei Darussalam
  3. Komodo Dragon Breeding Management: Success Report of Natural Hatching at Taman Safari Bali by Abdul Fattah, Ari Janiawati, Yohana Kusumaningtyas, Ayudis Husadhi & Kesuma Atmaja > Ex situ breeding facilities report the successful reproduction of Komodo dragons in Bali
  4. The Global Conservation Status of Varanus Merrem, 1820 – Overview of Threats and Uncertainties in the Assessment of Their Protection Status by Mark Auliya (M) > emphasizing research to reduce scientific uncertainties in IUCN Red List assessments
  5. When Biogeography meets Forensics: Case study with Bengal Monitor Lizard (Varanus bengalensis) by Kumudani Bala Gautam (M), Ajit Kumar, Abhijit Das & Sandeep Kumar Gupta > research on the population genetic structure of Varanus bengalensis to trace the origin of body parts in trade (e.g., Hatta jodi) and that of rescued live individuals for appropriate release events 
  6. Taste Aversion Training Buffers the Impact of Toxic Invaders on Monitors and Crocodiles by Georgia Ward-Fear (M) & Rick Shine (M) > a conservation strategy – training large reptiles (e.g., Varanus spp.) to avert taste of toxic invasive cane toads
  7. Habitat Suitability of Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) in Flores Island, Indonesia by Arief Mahmud, Mirza Dikari Kusrini, Ani Mardiastuti & Lilik Budi Prasetyo > assessing the suitability of habitats for Komodo dragons on Flores Island and neigbouring islands
  8. Observations on Free-ranging Bornean Earless Lizard, Lanthanotus borneensis by Veronica Leah (M), Yong Min Pui & Indraneil Das > Information on thermoregulation, diet and defence strategies in wild L. borneensis
  9. Case Study of Altering Community Perceptions of Monitor Lizards (Varanidae, Varanus spp.) among the Santhal Tribes of Birbhum, West Bengal, India by Shreya Bhattacharya (M), Mark Auliya (M), André Koch (M) > Awareness campaigns against  the illicit utilization of nationally protected Varanus spp. in India within tribal villages in the Birbhum district, West Bengal
  10. Aspects of the Urban and Rural Ecology of Nile Monitors (Varanus niloticus) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa by Euan Genevier, Cormac Price, Nick Evans & Colleen Downs > data on the morphology, ecology and threats of Nile monitor populations in mainly urban mosaic landscapes

April 2016 – Conference – Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Germany

“Trade with exotic reptiles in Germany exemplified by monitor lizards (Family Varanidae)“.

Proceedings (in German with English abstracts) available at   https://biodiv.de/fileadmin/user_upload/PDF/Projekte_Archiv/NaBiV_159_Werbeblatt.pdf

Reference of the Proceedings:

Schepp U, Kuich-van Endert S, Martens H, Paulsch C (eds) (2017) Der Handel mit exotischen Reptilien in Deutschland am Beispiel der Warane. Naturschutz und Biologische Vielfalt 159, Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN) Germany, 182 pp.

  •  July-August 2019 – Awareness workshops – West Bengal, India

Results published in Biawak:

Bhattacharya S, Zia SZ, Mahato S, Gangwar RK, Singh N, Auliya M, Koch A (2019) Report on the Awareness Workshops “Perceptions of Wildlife Conservation of Today’s Youth in West Bengal, India, with a Focus on Monitor Lizards”. Biawak 13(2): 94-100.

  • 22 January 2022 – The International Webinar on Varanids

Time (India): 3 p.m.   —-  Central European Time Zone (CET): 10:30 a.m.

Content: Ecology, diversity, behaviour, conflict and conservation initiatives

Target audience: inviting oral and poster presentation from scholars and students. Students and scholars with zoology background.

Venue: ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS)

St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous) (SJC) has a history of 137 years imparting graduate education and research. St. Joseph’s College was declared as an autonomous college by The Government of Karnataka in 2005, duly recognizing its Credentials. The College is reaccredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NACC) with ‘A++’ Securing 3.79 / 4 CGPA in March, 2017, the highest in India. UGC has declared St. Joseph’s College as a “College of Excellence”. Also, the college is funded by DBT for “Star College Status”. The Department of Zoology aims to prepare students for advanced studies and emerging interdisciplinary fields such as genetic engineering, wildlife and conservation, ecology and animal behavior. The Natural Science Association (NSA) of the department is one of the oldest associations actively involved in science communication. The Natural Science Association initiated JOSEPHITES FORUM OF HERPETOLOGY (JFH) to provide a platform for amateur herpetologists to learn and enhance their knowledge on herpetology. In continuation with its effort to organize webinars on various aspects of zoological science, the international webinar on varanids is organized on 22nd January 2022. With the two guest speakers Dr. Andre Koch (Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig in Bonn, Germany) with nearly 20 years of research experience in monitor lizards speaking on, “Contribution to the Discovery and International protection of Monitor lizards”. The second speaker is Shreya Bhattacharya (Commission Member at IUCN SSC Monitor Lizard Specialist Group) speaking on with the on the topic “Co-existence, Exploitation, and Conservation of monitor lizards from an Indian Perspective”. Research and information posters are invited from research scholars, college students on various topics related to varanids.