The water monitor (Varanus salvator) is a large species of monitor lizard in the Reptilia family and also under first-class state protection in China.

Protection class

It is a Class I national protected animal and listed as Critically Endangered on China Red Data Book of Endangered Animals.

Morphological characteristics:

An adult water monitor is 1-2 meters in length and a baby monitor is more than 300 mm long. It has an elongated snout and the nostrils are close to the end of the nose; the earhole and eye diameter are equally large; and its tongue is long with forked points that can retract into its tongue sheath. This species is remarkably strong, marked with sharp curved claws and digits as well as small macular spots on the back. The ventral surface of its body is yellow. Young water monitor is characterized by large black and white rings. The snout of the species is long, with a groove in the middle of the snout back; its head is narrow and long, and the length of the head is about twice the width, a bit like a triangle; and its snout is rounded. There is a distinct curved indentation between the head and neck that slightly leans forward from the center, while the posterior end of both sides is parallel to the upper corner of the earhole. The nostril of the animal is large, flat and rounded. And its body is strong and laterally compressed. It has powerful leg muscles, with long and hard claws. The caudal part is flat while the tail becomes flattened and thinner from the base to the end; the underpart of the tail is wide and slightly round, and the dorsal part is formed by two rows of scales; and the end of the tail is a bit stout, with several small scales circling around a tapered scale, which is hard and upturned. Its dorsal keel is dark brown with sparse yellow spots, and the yellow markings on the neck, body and caudal parts are more densely observed. Half of the rear tail is dark brown with 7 wide black stripes. The ventral surface of the water monitor is yellow and white, with 4 black lines extending from the dorsal keel and 5 from the head and neck meeting in the ventrimeson. The snout, cheek and the edge of the upper lip are all brown.

Distribution: Water monitor is found in Danzhou, Lingshui (Fenjiezhou Island), DiaoLuo Shan, WuZhi Shan, YingGe Ling and other places in Hainan Province, as well as Guangdong, Guangxi and Yunnan provinces.

Habits: Water monitor is commonly discovered in streams and ponds of mountains about 200 meters above sea level. It feeds on fish, frogs, birds, eggs and animal corpses. Water monitor is a type of oviparous animal. It lays 10-30 eggs each time in summer, and the eggs are usually deposited along the shore or in a tree cave for natural hatching. The baby lizard is about 30 cm in length.