Water Monitor (Varanus Salvator)

Water monitor (Varanus salvator)

The Asian water monitor. Family: Varanidae Adult Size: The third longest lizard in the world, attaining maximum lengths of 8½ to 9 feet. Most adults range between 3 and 5 feet in length. Range: Eastern India and Sri Lanka, eastward through southeast Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Habitat: Tropical forests. Water monitors come from the family Varanide whose members include the largest and heaviest of the lizards. In this group the water monitors are second in size only to the Komodo Monitors. Water monitors can grow up to lengths of eight feet but they are typically about half this size. They are covered with scales that are round and protruding, and on their abdomen they have smooth scales that resemble squares.