coh ( monitor lizard )

Monitor lizard at my Backyard

In Bandrai village Varanus monitor is commonly known as Coh. Coh is generally large reptiles about 50 to 60 cm long and brownish in colour with darker spots. They are found in forest area as well as the outskirts of village. The skin is covered with very small scales and tubercles. They have long, flattened neck. Very long laterally compressed powerful tails and well-developed limbs they are capable of rapid movement on the ground. Claws are very much powerful, long and sharp used for climbing on tree and steep wall. On the ground, they sometimes stand on the hind limbs to get a better view or when males fight other males. The belly is white, banded with dark crossbars and are spotted with grey. Coh are usually solitary and usually found on the ground, although the young are often seen on tree. They shelter in burrows and dig or crevices in rocks and even in the houses of villager but sum prefer tree hollows. They also make use of termite mounds. They sleep at night and are diurnal, becoming active around 7 am and bask in the morning sun.

Coh tend to swallow their prey whole like snakes. They are daytime lizards and most time actively search for food. They have a forked tongue. The function is mainly sensory, and is not help in the transport of food down the throat. Coh are carnivorous and eat small terrestrial vertebrates, birds, eggs and also includes frogs, fish, other small lizards, snakes and rodents. They sum times feed on dead animals also. They often visit on dung near cow shelter ( Goshalas/Shann in Bandrai ) where they forage for beetles and other insects.

They are not territorial and may change their range seasonally in response to food availability. They can also swim well and can stay submerged for at least 15 to 16 minutes in water. Coh also love to take mud bath in summer session for keeping their body cool. During winter session they may take shelter in the tree hollows or in human settlement area and go through a period of reduced metabolic activity.The main breeding season is June to September. Females dig a nest hole in level ground or a vertical bank and lay the eggs inside. They also make use of termite mound. The eggs are covered by soil with the help of strong powerful limbs.They are usually shy and avoid humans. But Coh in our village  area widely hunted by Sansi and Shikligar tribes, they are specialized in killing them, Sansi people comes from  Punjab in Bandrai for hunting they eat Coh meat. They dig there deep barrows and kill them, these tribes still use old ways of hunting. These lizard falls under schedule I of the wildlife protection Act 1972 and killing or trapping it is a non-bailable offence. Coh are killed for their meat and skins. These are threatened species.