Nile Monitor
Varanus niloticus
Zoo Location 2
Congo Gorilla Forest
Habitat 3
Nile Monitors can live in a surprising number of conditions. They all inhabit southern Africa, yet are able to survive in savannahs, forests, evergreen thickets, and swamps. They are most often found near bodies of water, such as rivers or pans. They are also able to live at high altitudes within the aforementioned areas.
http://www.oregonzoo.org/discover/animals/nile-monitor-lizard
Diet 3
Nile Monitors are Carnivores. They eat Fish, crocodile eggs, insects and aquatic creatures. Nile monitors will also eat some mammals.
Adaptations (5) 3
One adaptation that Nile Monitors have is that they can remain underwater for more than an hour. Also, the female Nile monitor lays her eggs in an active mound of termites. The heat from the termites acts to incubate the eggs. When they hatch, baby lizards resemble tiny versions of their parents.
Taxonomy and Living Relatives 3
Kingdom- Animialia
Phylum- Chordata
Class- Reptilia
Order- Squamata
The nile monitor is one of thirty one different species of living monitor lizards.
Conservation Status and threats 3
The conservation status of the nile monitor is not available. THe nile monitor is exploited for its skin and meat, and is also involved in the pet trade.
Sources and Credits
- (c) congobronxzoo, all rights reserved
- Adapted by congobronxzoo from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanus_niloticus
- (c) congobronxzoo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
