Monitor Lizard facts: some smart reptiles | Animal Fact Files

Monitor lizards are some of the largest lizards alive today. Their name comes from their ability to actually "monitor" for predators. These lizards are opportunistic eaters and will take a bite at just about anything that might make a good meal. Like snakes, monitor lizards have forked tongues that allow them to "smell" the surrounding air. It was once believed that bacteria in the mouths of monitor lizards gave them a toxic bite, but it's now known they actually produce their own venom!

Scientific Name: Genus - Varanus
Range: Australia, Asia, Africa, Oceania
Size: 7 in to 10 feet (17.8cm to 3m)
Diet: other lizards, snakes, frogs, fish, birds and their eggs, mammals like deer and pigs, arthropods, mollusks, carrion, and even fruit
Lifespan: decades

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Image and Video Credits:
Tony Markham - Varanus varius.wmv
Markus Reinert - Malayan water monitor lizard searchin...
Naturally Yours - Video; Video
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gailhampshire - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gails_p...
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Peter Kuttner - https://vimeo.com/19009767; https://vimeo.com/13571389; https://vimeo.com/293918660
Caroline Pang - https://vimeo.com/114219893
Elmer Laahne - https://vimeo.com/357814982


Research Credits:
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