Desert Monitor

The Desert Monitor (Varanus griseus) is a species of monitor lizards of the order Squamata found living throughout North Africa and Central and South Asia. Their bodies typically have a range of colors, from light brown and yellow to grey. They can grow to total body lengths of about two meters, but their normal length is about one meter. Along with yellow spots on their backs, these lizards can also have horizontal bands on either their tails or backs. Their young are often a vivid orange color and have recognizable bands across their backs that may disappear as they get older.

This animal is a carnivore, like the majority of the species in the Varanus genus. The species will prey on smaller mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, insects, or other invertebrates if the opportunity arises, although its preferred prey are mice, eggs, or fish. The breeding season for desert monitors typically lasts from May through July. The lizards typically lay their eggs from the end of June to the beginning of July, with copulation taking place in May and June. The eggs are nurtured between 29 and 31 °C, and they typically hatch after 120 days. The infant lizards are about 25 cm long overall when they are born.