Reptiles · Squamata · Varanidae

Sand Monitor

Varanus gouldii

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The sand monitor or Gould's goanna is one of the most widespread lizards in Australia, present across almost the whole continent. It digs deep burrows and actively hunts insects, reptiles, eggs and carrion. It is one of the species worst affected by the invasive cane toad: it dies poisoned when it tries to eat one, and its decline has altered entire ecosystems.

Weight

1.5 kg – 6 kg

Size

1 m – 1.6 m

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

SavannaTemperate forestDesertCarnivore Diurnal Solitary Reptile Savanna Temperate forest Desert

3countries 18parks6same family

Fun facts

The cane toad, invasive in Australia, is decimating it: it dies poisoned when it tries to eat one, and its disappearance has caused knock-on effects because it is a key predator in many Australian ecosystems.
Aversion learning is being trialled as a conservation measure: the monitors are offered small toads that make them ill but do not kill them, and the animals learn to reject them before the lethal adult toads arrive.
It digs burrows several metres long, and those tunnels shelter dozens of species of reptiles, mammals and invertebrates of the Australian desert.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Sandy deserts, savannah, open woodland and scrub across almost all of Australia
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 180 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 7 eggs

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/