Conserving the Vibrant Legacy and IntriguingBehaviors of Varanus auffenbergi

Endemic to one island in the Lesser SundaIslands of the South Pacific, the Peacock Monitor was once imported as BlueSpotted Timor Monitors.  Common on importer and wholesaler lists, theywere passed over by most keepers.  Described as their own species byRobert Sprackland in 1999 and named after herpetologist Walter Auffenberg, thiscolorful monitor became listed as Endangered only 20 years later(2019). In 2014, Ryan began working with Peacock Monitors and in 2017 heard there wasgoing to be a population survey on Roti Island on Varanus auffenbergi. Knowing they may no longer come into captivity, Ryan and Erica worked over thenext 7 years to collect the largest known collection of Varanus Auffenbergi inone place anywhere in the world.  Come discover how a small colorfulmonitor created a passion that built an assurance colony for the species.