MEET THE MONITORS

There a over 70 monitor lizard species in the genus Varanus, including komodo dragons. Here are four:

WATER MONITOR

The second-heaviest lizard on Earth, reaching up to 3m long (though most grow to around 1.5m). Found across much of southern and South-east Asia, the species has a keeled tail and can swim strongly, spending long periodsriods underwater.

CROCODILE MONITOR

Nicknamed the ‘tree crocodile’, this huge New Guinea lizard is – unusually for its size – an arboreal species found in the canopy of lowland rainforests. It has a very long head and snout, believed to be an adaptation to foraging for invertebrate prey, including under tree bark.

GOULD’S MONITOR

A common sight in Australia, this abundant lizard is a fast runner that often sprints bipedally, on its two back legs. It can also ‘tripod’ – rise up on its hind legs to look over rocks or bushes for prey, balanced by its long tail out behind.

DAMPIER PENINSULA MONITOR

The baby of the family was only discovered by science in 2014, in Western Australia’s arid Kimberley region. When full grown, it is just 23cm long from head to tail-tip, and weighs around 16–17g.