The Borneo Earless Monitor was first time discovered in Brunei Darussalam by Universiti Brunei Darussalam, UBD’s field assistants, Justin Jeffrey dan Jerry Wong while in a primary forest in Ulu Temburong.
Despite the name, earless monitors are capable of hearing and is similar to snakes of which they have a forked tongue that is used to smell their food. So far, this small monitor has been found only in the coastal lowlands of northern Sarawak and West Kalimantan. It is estimated that it has been around since the mid-Cretaceous or 100 million years. This discovery highlights the value of the continuous impact of UBD’s Faculty of Science and the Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Research in science and conservation. The lizard is now protected by the Brunei Wildlife Act 1984 due to the conservation efforts of the Wildlife Unit at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism.
Source: Radio Television Brunei