There are many species of animals, birds, reptiles on planet Earth. Some animal families are so diverse that they can represent many species and genera. One of these living creatures is the monitor lizard.
Monitor lizards are large lizards, uniting into one family of monitor lizards, represented by 10 genera of 30 species. All species are listed in the Red Book as rare and endangered animals. The reason for the decrease in the number of monitor lizards was the uncontrolled consumption of meat and eggs for food, as well as the manufacture of leather goods and the use of body parts as occult and medicinal things.
The sizes of the monitor lizards vary from 25 cm to 3 m, and the weight from 25 g to 140 kg. Despite this difference, monitor lizards are united by common characteristics: a strong body constitution, strong five-toed limbs, a high-set head on a long neck. Pupils are round, pronounced ear opening, forked tongue, teeth bent back. The tail is longer than the body.
Depending on the species, monitor lizards live on different continents, Africa, Asia, Australia, and a number of islands. Some species live near water and are good at swimming, while others prefer to live in savannas or deserts.
All monitor lizards are exceptional predators. Usually they bite their victim, releasing countless bacteria along with saliva, after which the victim dies after a few days from infection. After the bite it keeps close to the bitten animal. After the victim dies, or can no longer move, the monitor lizard starts eating.
Sexual maturity of monitor lizards occurs by 3-5 years. Females lay from 7 to 50 eggs in clutch. Some monitor lizards lay their eggs in the ground, others in the hollows of woody plants.
