ora speeds

[GSP1954@aol.com]

"Jura" posted the assertion by Auffenberg that oras regualry walk at nearly 5 
km/h. But when I asked Auffenberg for his data set he said he had lost it. It 
is not possible for an animal with such a low aerobic exercise capacity to 
sustain such speeds. I timed a large sample of oras from videos and found 
that they move at a typically reptilian pace of 0.5-2 km/h. When they move at 
5 km/h they are hauling, usually in response to a stimulus such as a carcasse 
or combat. Auffenbery attributes a far lower cruising speed to the Bengal 
monitor. Have pointed out the myth of the fast cruising ora in the literature 
a number of times including DA, but looks like one of those myths that will 
never die as much as it deserves to. 

G Paul