Kundu drums are a traditional instrument of Papua New Guinea, their playing surface traditionally made from stretched Varanus skin. Palai means lizard in Tok Pisin — so the name translates, quite literally, as drum lizard.
It's a fitting name for research studying Varanus where the road ends.
"Kundu Palai is my own small Business, founded on my passion for Varanid Lizards and the fantastic country of Papua New Guinea. I am a doctoral researcher working in PNG on the behavioural ecology of Varanid Lizards. Papua New Guinea presents researchers with a unique challenge and the true thrill of the ever-present chance of discovering something remarkable; the island of New Guinea hosts some of the world's most incredible Herpetofauna. I am currently focused on Four Varanid lizards, including the enigmatic crocodile monitor, Varanus salvadorii, a species I have been fascinated with since a young age. With your help, we can unveil the secrets of these elusive lizards and discover what role they play in the species-rich forests of New Guinea." - Benjamin Miles
Fieldwork centres on population monitoring and habitat use — walking transects, setting camera traps, and logging sightings across terrain that's rarely, if ever, been formally surveyed. Every season adds to a dataset that barely exists yet.
Varanus species sit near the top of their local food webs and are increasingly pressured by habitat loss and hunting. Baseline data — the kind this research produces — is the first step toward any serious conservation planning.
Flights to remote airstrips, permits, tracking equipment, and local field crews — this is where the funding actually goes. No overhead, no institution taking a share.
Kundu Palai
