This species is considered one of the 4 most rare and endangered monitors in the world. it is probably the largest true tree monitor in the world and one of only 2 species of fruit eating monitors in the world. they can grow over 7'. we have 2 adult females and 1 adult male currently, all of which are proven breeders.

they may only be found in a very small habitat of low-evelation rain-forest in southern Luzon, Philippines. they are highly endangered due to habitat destruction and also because many people love to eat monitors (here called "Bayawak") in the philippines. everyone says they taste like chicken. we say, "if you like chicken, eat freaking chicken!"

Here at the Paradise Reptile Zoo we are the first and the ONLY people in the world who have EVER bred this species in captivity. We have had babies 2 years in a row and sold groups of captive bred babies to the American Zoo Association! They are CITES 2 animals and we are the only people in the philippines that have the permits to export and import wild animals (included captive bred CITES animals).

please note that all photos included are under copyright, even those without watermark.



sorry, one more but this flickr pic only links

wow what a stunning face! congratulations on the successful breeding, that's great!

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Yes my name is D... Yes as in the letter... No i wont tell you what it stands for!!!

An absolutely stunning species. Congrats on your breeding success.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

Beautiful!

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

Hello, is this Mario?

Congratulations on your success with Varanus olivaceus.

About your information:
Varanus olivaceus, as you probably already know is the most threatened species of all monitors, even more so than Varanus komodoensis. Anyone can find this information in the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) SSC (Species Specialist Committee) Red List, which determine the actual status of a speices (not CITES, which is tied to commercialism and politics).
You know that Matt at the Avilon Zoo has also bred this species in captivity and has good photographic evidence.

You also know that if CITES were concerned with the threat to species, it would be CITES I and all trade would be prohibited. Advertising such a threatened species on a website where the majority of people would not be able to care for it is not very responsible.
It states that you have a conservation project with them, but does not give any specifics and if you do have a conservation project then why are the progeny being advertised on this forum and being sold off instead of being returned to suitable habitat in the wild? Selling them just gives the appearance of being more interested in money than conservation.

Cheers,
Michael

Michael, I want to thank you for bringing some of this information to light. Many of us, myself included, would have never spotted any of what you have pointed out. I am subscribing to this thread as it seem to be an interesting discussion that is about to unfold. I hope you continue to follow this thread as well and that a return response is made.

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some really good points their Michael...haha I am not going to even start to get into the politics of CITES haha.

But there are so many cases of conservation projects with species wich is a whole lotta nonsense. Seen a bit back home with our east african gaboons(bitis gabonica gabonica) also seen with fiji banded iguanas and of course komodos. There is little point to calling something a conservation breeding project when all the offspring do is get sold off and never see the wild. Of course there is a little good to it but it is only conserving the species in a captive situation and is a masked money making scheme. some of these legally bred endangered species generate huge amounts of cash and of course there is alot of corruption involved with the selling off of the offspring. I know of a few cases that have stayed a bit underground with the selling of fiji bandeds...it is quite sad that alot of these publicized conservation projects are all hidden money machines. i am in no way saying that the mentioned v. olivaceus project is one. congrats on the success

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Don't be jealous the voices only speak to me...

www.herprecon.org

hello michael.this is not mario, this is his employee, michael perret. mario actually doesnt know who you are, and is wondering who you are in the small group of people with expertise on the species. the only people we can think of who have done any significant research on Varanus olivaceus, both in the wild and in captivity are daniel bennet, bernd eidenmüller and mario himself.

in light to your post, mario is extremely familiar with matt at the avilon zoo and his work with philippine reptiles. they are both friends and contemporaries in philippine herpetoculture. avilon zoo does NOT have a successful breeding program. they have had wildcaught olivaceus for at least the last 7 years and have one time had one single hatchling baby olivaceus.

where have you gotten your info on Varanus olivaceus? whos papers have you read.

additionally, where in our post do we appear to be attempting to sell offspring or any other individuals of this species in our posts? we are not interested EVER in selling this species to anyone except the most reputable monitor breeding programs (so far zoos) who already have proven themselves as successful monitor breeders who will help in the fight to conserve olivaceus in captivity.

your post comes off as extremely aggressive, even attacking. i would appreciate your being more respectful. thanks a bundle! and by the way, please tell us more about yourself!

just checked out your zoos website... you have a very impressive collection with alot of the not so commonly displayed and bred herps for a zoo. will have to make a visit at your intitution oneday. also some nice articles coming out of you guys...will have to do some reading

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Don't be jealous the voices only speak to me...

www.herprecon.org

hello rich. i appreciate the way you have considered both sides of this conversation with thought. if michael, you or anyone else wants to read into our Varanus olivaceus conservation work further, then the best info we offer is on the old herpaworld website (can I make a link?) which you can access from an "old version" link on the homepage of the new herpaworld website. the old website contains more info on this subject as we are still building the new site!

as far as your view on the importance of conservation and captive breeding projects of endangered wildlife including the eventual re-release of wild or captive bred animals, in almost all cases we at herpaworld agree. for example, we have successfully included release and re-release programs with our Parias mcgregori and Naja philippinensis projects here at herpaworld.

the key to a successful release program is a feasible release location. for some species this is possible because there are protected areas of their natural habitat available/left in the wild.

unfortunately, Varanus olivaceus are only found in low-elevation primary rainforest habitats in southern Luzon and possibly one or more other smaller philippine islands. there are currently no available protected habitats in the philippines to release or somehow relocate them into at this time. any potential available locations would involve far too much risk of immediate threat to the animals through habitat destruction and/or hunting. if you want to learn more about Varanus olivaceus, read the scientific literature, we have, and mario wrote some of it!

we are working on using the right portals and working with the right people -- example DENR (the philippine natural resources division), and expert field-scientists(friends) like daniel bennett -- to GET THE REAL INFO on the wild state of this endangered species and find a way to get the necessary habitats protected to save this great species...

...thank you..