Heath Monitor

Varanus rosenbergi
This guy was little more than a foot long, yet he bailed up my dog and myself on a bush track. I initially thought it a baby Lace Monitor but by the lack of banding on the snout, the spots on the legs and light underbelly, I think it's the much rarer Heath Monitor. Its conservation status in NSW is "vulnerable".
After taking many photos with him hissing at us, we decided to let him have the better of it and backed away. Notice the tick on his neck. He is probably immune to ticks which is more than I can say for my dog who has had two bouts of hospitalisation with tick bite... very expensive.

Lace Monitor Varanus variusGoannasHeath MonitorRosenberg's MonitorVaranus rosenbergiamphibiansreptiles