Sago monitor Sago monitor The sago monitor or torch monitor, Varanus obor, is a species of monitor lizards endemic to the Indonesian island of Sanana. "Varanus obor" is the only melanistic member of the Pacific monitor ("V. indicus") group, and the only species belonging to the subgenus "Euprepiosaurus", which has prominent red-orange markings on its body. Proportions of the body and the construction of scales most closely resemble "V. melinus", which can be found on the islands of Mangole and Taliabu. Most often, "V. obor" occurs in coastal sago palm swamps - a habitat that is underused by other species of the
Sago Mine disaster and that the support system is not meeting the needs of the roof." On January 3, 2006, Bruce Watzman of the National Mining Association, interviewed by Tom Foreman for Anderson Cooper 360, was asked whether any of the violations "leaps out at you as endangering miners' lives?" Watzman explained that they could be "paperwork errors [or] reporting errors. A lot of violations, but many of which were not significant to really impact miner safety." By contrast, a report in "Christian Science Monitor" on January 6, 2006, quotes McAteer as saying "Sago raises red flags for mine oversight ... If you