Reptiles · Squamata · Varanidae

Desert Monitor

Varanus griseus

Least Concern

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

The desert monitor is the monitor lizard of the arid zones of North Africa and Central Asia, yellowish grey with pale bands. It is an active hunter that covers great distances in search of rodents, reptiles and eggs, and spends the colder months hibernating in burrows. In some Middle Eastern cultures it is credited with medicinal properties, which has driven its capture.

Weight

1 kg – 3 kg

Size

90 cm – 1.4 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

DesertGrasslandCarnivore Diurnal Solitary Reptile Desert Grassland

34countries 26parks6same family

Fun facts

It covers considerable distances each day in search of prey, and its trails in the sand, with the drag mark of the tail between the footprints, are unmistakable to desert trackers.
It hibernates for several months in deep burrows through the Central Asian winter, which is uncommon among monitor lizards, most of which are tropical.
It is credited with medicinal properties in several Middle Eastern and Central Asian traditions, and that demand, along with the skin trade, has reduced its populations across much of its range.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Sandy and stony deserts, wadis and semi-deserts of North Africa and Central Asia
Sexual maturity: 4.5 years
Gestation / incubation: 120 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 20 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanus_griseus