# Savannah Monitor (*Varanus exanthematicus*) The Savannah Monitor is a strong and sturdy lizard. It has a thick tail and loves to dig in the ground. - **Category:** [Reptiles](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/reptile) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Grasslands and savannas. - **Also known as:** African Monitor Lizard, Banded Monitor ![Savannah Monitor](https://media.snappit.app/site-media-v1/c47b4210031039b47e7c41ad335f5038392240d9442cdc8633f4d1d2c0befd0c/image-560x560/w-560.webp) ## Appearance The Savannah Monitor is a stocky lizard with a broad head and rough, keeled scales. Its dull grayish-brown to olive skin is often adorned with yellowish spots or bands, providing excellent camouflage. This coloration helps it blend seamlessly into its dry, grassy habitat. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Squamata - **Order:** Lacertilia - **Family:** Varanidae - **Genus:** Varanus ## Interesting facts - Savannah Monitors are champion hibernators underground. - Their powerful jaws can crush hard insect shells! - These lizards can live for over 15 years! - They can go months without eating a single meal. ## Special abilities - **Master Digger:** Savannah Monitors can dig extensive burrows because of their strong claws and powerful limbs, creating shelters. - **Forked Tongue Sniffer:** Savannah Monitors have a forked tongue that helps them 'smell' their surroundings, finding hidden prey or danger. - **Puff-Up Defense:** Savannah Monitors can puff up their body and hiss loudly to make themselves look bigger and scare away predators. - **Natural Camouflage:** Savannah Monitors have dull, patterned skin that helps them blend perfectly into dry grasses and rocky terrains. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 80-120 cm - **Weight:** 3-8 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 20 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 15-40 - **Incubation:** 100-180 days ## Diet & Feeding Young Savannah Monitors munch on crunchy insects, while adults enjoy larger critters and eggs! - **Age differences:** Juveniles primarily consume insects, while adults expand their diet to include small rodents, other reptiles, and bird eggs. - **Primary Foods:** Crickets, Beetles, Locusts, Grasshoppers, Scorpions, Small Rodents - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** African Field Cricket (*Gryllus bimaculatus*) — A common insect prey item in their diet. - **Eats:** Nile Grass Rat (*Arvicanthis niloticus*) — Adult monitors prey on these small rodents. - **Eaten by:** Bateleur Eagle (*Terathopius ecaudatus*) — A powerful bird of prey in their habitat. - **Shelter:** Umbrella Thorn Acacia (*Acacia tortilis*) — Often provides shade and cover in the savanna. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Camouflaged](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/camouflaged): Camouflaged describes organisms that possess coloring or patterns that allow them to blend into their environment. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Savanna](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/savanna): This habitat trait denotes species native to savannas, which are grasslands with scattered trees, typically found in tropical or subtropical regions with distinct wet and dry seasons. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Reptiles & Amphibians](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/reptiles-and-amphibians) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Look but don’t touch. Keep a safe distance and wash hands after exploring. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Savannah Monitor? Compare toes, scales, head shape, crests and tail proportions. Many lizards can drop and regrow their tails, so a short tail isn't always a species trait. Lizard Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Savannah Monitor? 80-120 cm ### How much does Savannah Monitor weigh? 3-8 kg ### How long does Savannah Monitor live? 10-15 years ### How fast can Savannah Monitor move? 20 km/h ### What does Savannah Monitor eat? Young Savannah Monitors munch on crunchy insects, while adults enjoy larger critters and eggs! ### Where is Savannah Monitor usually found? Grasslands and savannas. ### How does Savannah Monitor hunt? Foraging ## More Reptiles - [Pond Slider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pond-slider) (*Trachemys scripta*) - [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) - [Common Five-lined Skink](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-five-lined-skink) (*Plestiodon fasciatus*) - [Desert Spiny Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-spiny-lizard) (*Sceloporus magister*) --- Source: [Savannah Monitor: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/savannah-monitor)