The Bengal Monitor is a relatively large species of Monitor lizard that is native to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and other surrounding areas.
They have a typical ‘Monitor’ appearance with their short legs, long tail and strong body. They also have a forked tongue that they use as a sensory organ.
Bengal Monitor Taxonomy
The Bengal Monitor belongs to the Varanidae family of lizards. This family contains only one genus of living lizards. There are two extinct genera associated with this family, Ovoo and Saniwa.
The remaining genus, and the genus that the Bengal Monitor belongs to is called Varanus. This is essentially the genus of Monitor Lizards, which are native to Africa, Asia and Oceania.
The closest living relatives to the lizards in the Varanus genus are the species in the anguid and helodermatid genera.
The lizards in the anguid genus are native to the Northern Hemisphere and include the glass lizards and the alligator lizards.
There are only 5 species of lizards in the helodermatid genus and they are all venomous. This family includes the Gila Monster.
Monitors are a large genus of lizard that contains over 80 different species at the time of writing. However, many species and sub-species are constantly being disputed so the exact number will change from time to time.
The group of Monitor lizards include some of the largest species of lizards in the world such as the Komodo Dragon and Crocodile Monitor.
The genus name, Varanus is derived from the Arabic word ‘waral’ which simply translates into Monitor.
The scientific name for the Bengal Monitor is Varanus bengalensis. This is simply a Latinization of the word Bengal. These lizards are also referred to as the Common Indian Monitor.
Bengal Monitor Description
The Bengal Monitor is a large species of lizard that can reach nearly 6 feet in length. However, around half this length is made up of the lizard’s tail.
The snout to vent length of the lizard is usually around 2.5 feet. They are not as heavy bodied as some monitors, rarely exceeding 7kg in weight.
A young Bengal Monitor has more color and patterning than an adult. Their patterning consists of a series of dark crossbars on their neck, throat, belly and back.
The belly itself is white and often has grey or yellow spotting as well as the dark crossbands.
The background colour of an adult is light brown or grey They have darker spots along their back which forms a kind of speckled appearance.
The Bengal Monitor has a forked tongue which is used more as a sensory organ than to typical tongue. They use it to ‘taste’ the air to identify prey in the area.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Bengal Monitor is native to most of India. They can also be found throughout Sri Lanka and in parts of Eastern Pakistan.
They can also be found in the lower elevations of Nepal and Bhutan as well as throughout most of Bangladesh.
These monitors like to live in the lower elevations of their range and are typically found below 1,500m in elevation.
They are very adaptable and can thrive in a wide range of habitats. These monitors can be found from semi-arid regions to humid forests.
They share some of their geographical range with species such as the Indian Python, the Gooty Sapphire Tarantula, the Bamboo Viper, the Indian Star Tortoise and the Mourning Gecko.
Bengal Monitor Behaviour
The Bengal Monitor is a diurnal species, meaning they are active during the day. They will begin to emerge from their burrow around dawn and spend the day hunting for food.
They spend the majority of their time on the ground. However, juveniles will often climb trees or other low lying ‘structures’.
They will dig burrows in the forest floors or shelter in rock crevices. They are also known to take over abandoned termite mounds.
These lizards don’t fully hibernate, but in the colder parts of their range they will reduce their metabolic rate and activity level in order to conserve energy.
They are able to stand upright on their hind legs. They will do this to get a better view when searching for food. Males may also ‘stand up’ when fighting.