Monitor Lizards

Monitor lizards are some of the biggest and smartest lizards in the world. They have long necks, strong legs, and powerful tails. Monitors have forked tongues like snakes to help them smell. There are about 80 kinds of monitor lizards. They live in Africa, Asia, and Australia.

Big and Small

Monitor lizards come in many sizes. The smallest is the short-tailed monitor, which is less than 8 inches long. The biggest is the Komodo dragon, which can grow over 10 feet long. Most monitor lizards are somewhere in between. They have tough, scaly skin that protects them from other animals.

Clever Hunters

Monitor lizards are smart and active hunters. They eat almost anything they can catch, including insects, eggs, fish, birds, and small mammals. Some monitors even dig up crocodile nests to eat the eggs. They flick their long tongues to smell the air and find food. Monitor lizards are good at remembering where food is hidden.

Water, Land, and Trees

Different monitor lizards live in different places. Some are great swimmers and hunt fish in rivers and swamps. Others climb trees to catch birds. Some prefer hot deserts and dig burrows to stay cool. All monitors lay eggs, and females often bury them in warm, safe places. Baby monitors have to take care of themselves from the moment they hatch.

Fun Facts

• Monitor lizards can count, and some seem to know numbers up to six.
• The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world.
• Monitor lizards can run faster than a person for short distances.

Did You Know?

Unlike most other lizards, monitor lizards breathe in a way similar to birds, which helps them run and breathe at the same time.