Seen from the main hide at SBWR, this large Malayan Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) was busy flicking its blue-ish toungue and 'smell-tasting' the mud around it. It had no problems with its toungue touching the mud and then retrieving it into its mouth. Why does it do this? That's where the vomeronasal organ which enables it to 'smell' what it's toungue 'tastes' is found. Have a look here :vomeronasal organ.
Why is the toungue forked? See this link for an explanation.
Read more about this lizard here :
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/reptilia/salvator.htm
http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/verts/monitor_lizard.htm
http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/malayan_water_monitor.htm
http://www.wildsingapore.per.sg/discovery/factsheet/malymonitor.htm
http://iyb2010singapore.blogspot.com/2010/12/magnificent-monitors.html
http://iyb2010singapore.blogspot.com/2010/12/busting-myths-about-monitors.html
http://iyb2010singapore.blogspot.com/2011/01/more-on-monitors.html
and about Singapore's rarest monitor lizard...
http://iyb2010singapore.blogspot.com/2011/01/monitors-of-singapore-whos-rarest-of.html
http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/nis/bulletin2008/2008nis21-22.pdf
How many monitor lizards are there at SBWR?
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-many-monitor-lizards-are-at-sungei.html
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2011/03/counting-monitor-lizards-at-sungei.html
How do you distinguish between a water monitor and a crocodile?
http://www.sbwr.org.sg/wetlands/text/06-133-1.htm
Are there other blue-toungued lizards?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-tongued_skink
http://www.zoo-zoom.com/Blue%20Tongue%20Lizard.htm
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