Water Monitor
Water Monitors are a species of lizard dark in colour with variations of grey, dirty brown and almost completely black.
Yellow spots take form across the body. These reptiles are the largest species of lizard in Southern Africa. Their body lengths, only just, fall short of a metre, and that is excluding the tail. The tail of these large lizards is about 1.5 times the length of the body.
These creatures have amazing tongues that are fork shaped and dark and look almost identical to that of a snake. The tympanum (eardrum) is large, almost round in shape, and is situated far back on the head. The body is covered with granular scales. They have strong and muscular legs, and each toe has a prominent curved claw.
Juvenile Water Monitors are vividly marked. Although the body colour of adult Water Monitors (Varanus niloticus) may become duller as they grow older, their markings are usually a lot more clearer than that of Rock Monitors.
Water Monitors are terrestrial, semi-aquatic lizards that are normally found close to water. These large reptiles are active when foraging and can easily travel quite some distance away from water when searching for food. However, they are quite frequently seen basking in the sun along riverbanks.
When it comes to foraging, these large lizards are not selective feeders and will eat basically anything that they can overpower, including frogs, crabs, invertebrates, snakes, and birds as well as other lizards. Occasionally they feed on small mammals. They are quite notorious for raiding poultry houses and stealing eggs and young chickens. These lizards also raid crocodile nests and are the main cause behind the high loss of eggs for tortoises and turtles.
When faced with danger the Water Monitors defend themselves vigorously by biting and scratching, they also lash their long, hard tails from side to side. One of the main predators to the Water Monitor is the Martial Eagle, that can easily swoop up these large lizards and have a sumptuous meal.
The Water Monitor's skin and fat are used in the muti trade, and the skin is used in the leather industry. The species was listed in South Africa's first Reptile Red Data Book, but it is now widely distributed and abundant, and has as a result been removed from the Red List, although it remains on CITES Appendix II.
Did you know? Water Monitors are accomplished climbers and will often bask on branches overhanging water; when they are disturbed they will launch into the water, sometimes from considerable heights. Water Monitors are talented swimmers and can swiftly propel themselves with the sideway movements of the tail in a way very similar to that of crocodiles. When they are swimming their legs are pressed to the side of the body and have no part in the forward motion. When faced with danger they can swim underwater for considerable time and distance.
