White Throated Monitor Varanus exanthematicus albigularis

Physical Characteristics: I have a long muscular body with four powerful legs each with five sharp claws. My tail is thick and twice as long as my body. I can use it as a weapon or to hold on to things. I am typically a gray brown color with white or yellowish markings. I am the only other than the snake with a long forked tongue. I am a good climber and fast for my size.

Habitat / Climate Where am I from? I cover territory from Botswana in South Savannah hot Africa through central Africa to Ethiopia. I am not seen in the Kalahari and arid Desert. I live in the dry steppe or savannah regions under tree roots or in areas burrows during the hottest part of the day. I am both terrestrial and arboreal.

Other family members: Who are my relatives? I am a reptile from the order , Komodo dragon which includes snakes and . My family is and all Storr’s goanna lizards are included in this group. The family of the monitor lizards Yemen monitor includes the largest lizards now in existence, one of which in the Desert pygmy monitor Komodo Dragon. We are the only other besides snakes to have the forked tongue used to scent prey.

Breeding Potential How am I born? I am oviparous. We mate in the dry months of Aug.- Sept. And the eggs have to incubate for 120 days or more in the wild. The female will dig a warm moist hole or use an abandoned Clutch size? 7 - 50 eggs Depending on size of female burrow to lay a clutch of 7-50 eggs, depending on the size of the female, so hatching will coincide with the beginning of the rainy season (Jan.- Feb.) This insures that the young will have food Hatchlings Number of offspring per year? are precocial and fend for themselves from the time of hatching but only about ½ of us will survive. One clutch per year. Less than ½ live. I will reach sexual Breeding Season How long does it take me to grow up and how long do I live? maturity at 3-5 years. I will grow up to a maximum of 9 feet long with an average of 4 feet and weigh J F M A M J J A S O N D A E A P A U U U E C O E up to 25 pounds. Life span is 12 - 20 years. N B R R Y N L G P T V C

What kind of family life do I have? I am a solitary and territorial. Only during mating season do I associate with other monitors. Parents do not care for the hatchlings at all. Names for: Adult male: Adult female: What do I eat and when do I eat? I am a carnivore and diurnal. I eat reptiles, birds eggs, Young: but mostly a variety of invertebrates such as snails and insects. I also eat baby tortoises and carrion. Group: During the months of Jan. and Feb., which is the rainy season, I am on a feeding frenzy, eating all I can. July through December I eat little or nothing. We hunt over a large territory. Males cover up to 7 sq. miles and females 2.5 sq. miles. I do not chew my food. I swallow it whole. Who are my predators? My predators include man, ratels, large birds of prey, and most large carnivores. Many clutches of eggs are eaten by the mongoose. I can be a formidable opponent when attacked. I raise up high on my legs and hiss. My tail can be used to slash and I bite and hang on like a bulldog. When all else fails, I play dead. When hurt I recuperate quickly.

What is the history of my relationship with man? Men have captured me for food, leather and to make some traditional medicines. Some people keep me for a pet.