No more big lizards in Lumphini Park?

[webfact]

No more big lizards in Lumphini Park?

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter -

 

A Lumpini Park water monitor arrives Wednesday at the Khaozon Wildlife Breeding Center in Ratchaburi province.

 

RATCHABURI — More than 200 water lizards taken from a park in the center of Bangkok arrived Wednesday to live out their rest of their days in captivity west of Bangkok.

 

The ongoing operation to reduce the population of the monitor lizards in Lumpini Park has been was suspended for now while the city considers whether to continue, and the director of the facility to which they were moved said he was told to prepare to accept twice as many animals – the estimated number living in the park.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/environment/2016/09/21/no-big-lizards-lumphini-park/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2016-09-22

[ClutchClark]

Do Thais eat monitor lizards?

[impulse]

1 hour ago, ClutchClark said:

Do Thais eat monitor lizards?

 

Does Howdy Doody have a wooden butt?

[cumgranosalum]

so the story has change now - it was originally reported that only 40 of 400 were being removed. It would seem yet again the=is is another ill thought out dictum from an official who is prepared to make an order without any consideration of the ramifications.

[Dibbler]

The hias were doing well breeding in semi natural habitats, not disturbing anyone and helping keep populations of snakes in check. Expect an explosion of reports of cobras and pythons now by visitors to Lumpini Park.

[Dibbler]

Do Thais eat monitor lizards?

Popular delicacy for Isan, Northern Thai and Lao people.

[Lumbini]

The beginning of the end of park as we know it the Lizards go while Pokemon invades .

[masuk]

1 hour ago, Dibbler said:

Popular delicacy for Isan, Northern Thai and Lao people.

They're also 'good fella tucker' for Aussie aborigines.  

 

What's the problem with them in the park?  they seemed happy enough, cleaning up the scraps left by visitors, catching the occasional fish.    

They are natural to the region, and as Dibbler says, they'll keep down the numbers of snakes.

 

1 hour ago, Dibbler said:

The hias were doing well breeding in semi natural habitats, not disturbing anyone and helping keep populations of snakes in check. Expect an explosion of reports of cobras and pythons now by visitors to Lumpini Park.

 

[cumgranosalum]

1 hour ago, Dibbler said:

The hias were doing well breeding in semi natural habitats, not disturbing anyone and helping keep populations of snakes in check. Expect an explosion of reports of cobras and pythons now by visitors to Lumpini Park.

not sure what the lizards live on in the park - I would think it is mostly scavenged garbage...however if you take a major chunk out of any "eco-system" - you can expect a payback.

here is a bit on their function in an urban environment...

 

" Are an adaptable and prolific predator, helping to control insect, snail, shellfish, crab, fish, frog, snake, turtle, bird, and rodent populations. They are well-known for eating eggs, hunting for the nests of birds, turtles, and crocodiles. Monitors help keep the city clean by feeding on trash and dead meat, especially dead fish and other water animals that wash ashore. Young monitors can provide food for large snakes." - https://bangkokherps.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/water-monitor/

 

I think it is most likely that this irrational and unplanned move has been ordered by a Nabob whose superstitions have overruled common sense. the monitor is regarded as a bad omen amongst more "traditional" Thai people and I suspect this has played a big part in this exercise.

Edited September 22, 2016 by cumgranosalum

[Roota]

Their numbers have clearly gotten out of control in the past couple years, mainly because they have no predators within Suan Lum, and it was time to do something. But given the support for them among Thai users of the park I very much doubt that they'll decide to remove them all. The only real question is what is an appropriate population for that space.

[tracker1]

Appears they forgot about the rodent population running around Bangkok ! like to know how this breeding center is going to feed 400 monitors ? I have one and believe me they put some food away I think there may be some cheap cuts of chicken monitor being sold shortly 

[Davehappen]

When we visit bangkok, one of my favourite places to visit is lumpini park. Used to go looking for them, fascinating creatures. 

R.I.P Monitor lizards.

[bark]

4 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Does Howdy Doody have a wooden butt?

Howdy Doody; you must be very old ?  

[toofarnorth]

I want one to take on a lead up my soi , there must be 10 soi dogs that would make a good meal for a monitor and there are large empty ponds nearby + I like lizards.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, bark said:

Howdy Doody; you must be very old ?   

 

I'd be surprised if half the posters here get it.

[alien365]

7 hours ago, ClutchClark said:

Do Thais eat monitor lizards?

I've been told since they are considered bad luck, most Thai's don't eat them.

[straylight]

I remember when it was fashion to write the name of a politician who was out of favor and walk it on a leash in a protest march. Considered a serious insult along with hitting someone with your shoe.

[cumgranosalum]

2 hours ago, Roota said:

Their numbers have clearly gotten out of control in the past couple years, mainly because they have no predators within Suan Lum, and it was time to do something. But given the support for them among Thai users of the park I very much doubt that they'll decide to remove them all. The only real question is what is an appropriate population for that space.

populations thrive on food - monitors don't have  many predators when they are big. i think it is an artificial situation and they may have left it too long without management - so they need to do something - I just get the impression that "something" hasn't really been thought out. It will be interesting to see what takes over when the monitors are gone - I suspect it will be rats.

[rak sa_ngop]

I have seen them eat fish, turtles, pigeons and large worms. Maybe a cat or 2 as well, so with all this fresh meat around I doubt they need to eat scraps (at the moment).

 

If the figure of 400 lizards is correct (although I find it hard to believe)  it would not be too long before they would have depleted their food source. With no natural predators, removing some seems like a sensible thing to do. There will always be a few left to take photos of.

[bark]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

I'd be surprised if half the posters here get it.

Only us old dudes. But young at heart.

[Longstaff]

Its one thing to be controlled by predators, its another to be controlled by food availability. Populations of anything only tend to explode when there is an unusual abundance of food. What are 400 monitors living on? And therefore a population of what is going to explode if the monitor numbers are dramatically reduced? Or are people feeding them?

 

Load! Fire!......................Aim! Again.

[impulse]

If those guys ate fish (Edit: or pigeons), they'd never run out of food in Lumpini.  And with all the fish food and bread sold to tourists and locals, the circle of life would have gone on.

 

Next step:  Cull the fish population now that there aren't any predators to keep their numbers in check.  

 

Or, reintroduce the lizards at great cost to the taxpayers.

Edited September 22, 2016 by impulse