The Use of Spool Tracking Technique to Monitor the Movement of Juvenile Asian Water Monitor Lizard
Keywords:
Animal movement, Behavioral observation, Low-cost method, Varanus salvator
Abstract
Tracking animal movement is essential for conservation but often financially challenging. This study tested a low-cost spool tracking method using juvenile Asian water monitors (Varanus salvator) housed in a dome enclosure. Tail-mounted spools were more effective than back-mounted ones, allowing greater movement and fewer complications. Lizards were active during the day, preferred vegetated microhabitats, and often basked or soaked. Importantly, tail-mounted spools caused no injuries or entanglement, indicating this method is a viable, non-invasive option for monitoring juvenile lizard movement in resource-limited contexts, with potential application to other species.
References
Allen, A.M. & Singh, N.J., 2016. Linking movement ecology with wildlife management and conservation. Frontiers in Ecology, 3, p.155. doi: 10.3889/fevo.2015.0015.
Altmann, J. 1974. Observational Study of Behavior: Sampling Methods. Behaviour, 49(3/4), pp. 227–267.
Bennett, D., 1995. A little book of monitor lizards. Aberdeen, GB: Viperpress.
Bennett, D., 2000. The density and abundance of juvenile Varanus exanthematicus (Sauria: Varanidae) in the coastal plain of Ghana. Amphib Reptilia 21, 301–306. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853800507499
Bennett, D., 2014. The arboreal foraging behavior of the frugivorous monitor lizard Varanus olivaceus on Polillo Island. Biawak, 8, pp.15–18.
Benson, E., 2010. Wired wildness: Technologies of tracking and the making of modern wildlife. Baltimore, MD, USA: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Byers, D., 1999. Varanus salvator: Water monitor. In: J. Harding, ed. Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles. Ann Arbor, MI, USA: University of Michigan, pp.383–384.
Cagnacci, F., et al., 2010. Animal ecology meets GPS-based radiotelemetry: a perfect storm of opportunities and challenges. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 365, 2157–2162. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2010.0107
Gracanin, A., Mikac, K.M., 2022. The Use of Selfie Camera Traps to Estimate Home Range and Movement Patterns of Small Mammals in a Fragmented Landscape. Animals 12, 912. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12070912
Imansyah, M.J., et al. 2007. Ontogenetic differences in the spatial ecology of immature Komodo dragons. Journal of Zoology 274, 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2007.00368.x
Kays, R., et al., 2015. Terrestrial animal tracking as an eye on life and planet. Science 348, aaa2478. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa2478
Kernohan, B.J., Glitzen, R.A. & Millspaugh, J.J., 2001. Analysis of animal space use and movements. In: Radio Tracking and Animal Populations. pp.125–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012497781-5/50006-2
Lagrange, P., et al., 2014. Estimating dispersal among numerous sites using capture–recapture data. Ecology 95, 2316–2323. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-1564.1
Law, S.J. et al., 2016. Morphology, activity area, and movement patterns of the frugivorous monitor lizard Varanus bitatawa. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 11, pp.467–475.
Miller, H.J., et al., 2019. Towards an integrated science of movement: converging research on animal movement ecology and human mobility science. International Journal of Geographical Information Science 33, 855–876. https://doi.org/10.1080/13658816.2018.1564317
Pah, M.K., 2003. Aktivitas harian biawak air asia (Varanus salvator) di Suaka Margasatwa Pulau Rambut, Jakarta (Skripsi). Fakultas Kehutanan, IPB, Bogor, Indonesia.
Rutz, C., & Hays, G.C., 2009. New frontiers in biologging science. Biol. Lett. 5, 289–292. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0089
Sumner, J., 2006. Higher relatedness within groups due to variable subadult dispersal in a rainforest skink, Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae. Austral Ecol 31, 441–448. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2006.01599.x
Susanto, I.D., 2011. Penggunaan metode spool track dalam menelaah pola pergerakan harian Katak Bertanduk (Megophrys montana) di Taman Nasional Gede Pangrango, Jawa Barat (Skripsi). Fakultas Kehutanan, IPB, Bogor, Indonesia.
Sutherland, D.R., Glen, A.S., Cruz, J., 2008. An alternative spool-and-line tracking device for medium-sized animals. Aust. Mammalogy 30, 89. https://doi.org/10.1071/AM08011
Waddell, E., Whitworth, A., & Macleod, R., 2016. A First Test of The Thread Bobbin Tracking Technique As A Method For Studying The Ecology of Herpetofauna In A Tropical Rainforest. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 11, 61–71.
Yudha, A.P., Kusrini, M.D., Arida, E., 2022. Chasing for water monitors using dogs in West Java, Indonesia: a recreational hunting or pest control? Ethnobio Conserv 11. https://doi.org/10.15451/ec2022-01-11.04-1-10
Altmann, J. 1974. Observational Study of Behavior: Sampling Methods. Behaviour, 49(3/4), pp. 227–267.
Bennett, D., 1995. A little book of monitor lizards. Aberdeen, GB: Viperpress.
Bennett, D., 2000. The density and abundance of juvenile Varanus exanthematicus (Sauria: Varanidae) in the coastal plain of Ghana. Amphib Reptilia 21, 301–306. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853800507499
Bennett, D., 2014. The arboreal foraging behavior of the frugivorous monitor lizard Varanus olivaceus on Polillo Island. Biawak, 8, pp.15–18.
Benson, E., 2010. Wired wildness: Technologies of tracking and the making of modern wildlife. Baltimore, MD, USA: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Byers, D., 1999. Varanus salvator: Water monitor. In: J. Harding, ed. Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles. Ann Arbor, MI, USA: University of Michigan, pp.383–384.
Cagnacci, F., et al., 2010. Animal ecology meets GPS-based radiotelemetry: a perfect storm of opportunities and challenges. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 365, 2157–2162. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2010.0107
Gracanin, A., Mikac, K.M., 2022. The Use of Selfie Camera Traps to Estimate Home Range and Movement Patterns of Small Mammals in a Fragmented Landscape. Animals 12, 912. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12070912
Imansyah, M.J., et al. 2007. Ontogenetic differences in the spatial ecology of immature Komodo dragons. Journal of Zoology 274, 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2007.00368.x
Kays, R., et al., 2015. Terrestrial animal tracking as an eye on life and planet. Science 348, aaa2478. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa2478
Kernohan, B.J., Glitzen, R.A. & Millspaugh, J.J., 2001. Analysis of animal space use and movements. In: Radio Tracking and Animal Populations. pp.125–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012497781-5/50006-2
Lagrange, P., et al., 2014. Estimating dispersal among numerous sites using capture–recapture data. Ecology 95, 2316–2323. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-1564.1
Law, S.J. et al., 2016. Morphology, activity area, and movement patterns of the frugivorous monitor lizard Varanus bitatawa. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 11, pp.467–475.
Miller, H.J., et al., 2019. Towards an integrated science of movement: converging research on animal movement ecology and human mobility science. International Journal of Geographical Information Science 33, 855–876. https://doi.org/10.1080/13658816.2018.1564317
Pah, M.K., 2003. Aktivitas harian biawak air asia (Varanus salvator) di Suaka Margasatwa Pulau Rambut, Jakarta (Skripsi). Fakultas Kehutanan, IPB, Bogor, Indonesia.
Rutz, C., & Hays, G.C., 2009. New frontiers in biologging science. Biol. Lett. 5, 289–292. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0089
Sumner, J., 2006. Higher relatedness within groups due to variable subadult dispersal in a rainforest skink, Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae. Austral Ecol 31, 441–448. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2006.01599.x
Susanto, I.D., 2011. Penggunaan metode spool track dalam menelaah pola pergerakan harian Katak Bertanduk (Megophrys montana) di Taman Nasional Gede Pangrango, Jawa Barat (Skripsi). Fakultas Kehutanan, IPB, Bogor, Indonesia.
Sutherland, D.R., Glen, A.S., Cruz, J., 2008. An alternative spool-and-line tracking device for medium-sized animals. Aust. Mammalogy 30, 89. https://doi.org/10.1071/AM08011
Waddell, E., Whitworth, A., & Macleod, R., 2016. A First Test of The Thread Bobbin Tracking Technique As A Method For Studying The Ecology of Herpetofauna In A Tropical Rainforest. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 11, 61–71.
Yudha, A.P., Kusrini, M.D., Arida, E., 2022. Chasing for water monitors using dogs in West Java, Indonesia: a recreational hunting or pest control? Ethnobio Conserv 11. https://doi.org/10.15451/ec2022-01-11.04-1-10
Published
2026-02-27
How to Cite
Sari, F. E., Kusrini, M. D. and Mulyani, Y. A. (2026) “The Use of Spool Tracking Technique to Monitor the Movement of Juvenile Asian Water Monitor Lizard”, Journal of Tropical Biodiversity and Biotechnology, 11(1), p. jtbb21601. doi: 10.22146/jtbb.21601.
Section
Short Communication
