Scavenging Behavior of the Bengal Monitor (Varanus bengalensis) in Jahangirnagar University Campus, Bangladesh
K. M. Mijanur Rahman *
Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh.
M. M. H. Khan
Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh.
I. I. Rakhimov
Department of Bioecology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Kazan-420010, Russian Federation.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The scavenging behavior of the Bengal Monitor (Varanus bengalensis) was studied at Jahangirnagar University campus, Bangladesh, from February 2010 to July 2010 by following focal sampling method. The behavioral patterns that were observed are scavenging, moving, resting, conflicting, and others (escaping, hiding etc.). The Bengal Monitor spent most of the time in scavenging (43.23%) during their active periods while least time (5.28%) was spent in others (escaping, hiding etc.) behavior. It spent 14.7% in moving, 21.3% resting and 15.5% conflict. During scavenging, the Bengal Monitor mainly fed on chicken feathers, eggshells, fish remains and the waste of vegetable matter. The highest scavenging activity was recorded in April (53.8%) and lowest (27.4%) in February. The scavenging behavior of this species varied in different months and seasons probably due to changing temperature and rainfall.
Keywords: Bengal monitor, scavenging, behavior.