![where is the argus monitor from where is the argus monitor from](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VYWmm8cONRc/hqdefault.jpg)
The Sand Monitor, sometimes called Goulds Monitor or Goulds Goanna, is the most common Australian goanna. Unlike other goannas a water monitor will not run, but rather slide into the water when disturbed or threatened. Most of their food comes from the water - fish, frogs, crabs, shrimps and similar - but they also find some on land, like reptile eggs and insects. Water monitors are excellent swimmers and can stay under water for several minutes. Both live in northern Australia near creeks, swamps, lagoons and other bodies of water. The uncommon Mitchell Water Monitor is smaller, about two and a half feet (70 centimetres). The Mertens Water Monitor, which is quite common, grows to 4 feet in length. There are two kinds, the Mertens Water Monitor ( Varanus mertensi), and the Mitchell Water Monitor ( Varanus mitchelli). The Australian water monitors are smaller. Water monitors ( Varanus salvator) are the second biggest lizards in the world, but they aren't native to Australia. Here is a page that has some beautiful photos of a wild Perentie. Perenties (and other goannas) hibernate during the cold time of the year, from about May to August.ĭespite its huge the size the Perentie is a rather shy lizard, and it is not a common sight. Something I didn't mention is hibernation. Perenties look, eat and live just like I described above for goannas in general. Perenties live in the dry regions of inland Australia and particularly like rocky country. The Perentie (Varanus giganteus) is the biggest Australian monitor lizard. The two zoos that display Komodo Dragons are the Australia Zoo and the Taronga Zoo. You can see the Komodo Dragons in Australia, but only in zoos. Interestingly, there is also a dragon family of lizards in Australia (the Agamidae), but the Komodo Dragon isn't a dragon, it's a monitor (family Varanidae). The best known monitor lizard is the biggest species, the Komodo Dragon. Return to top Some common goanna species The Komodo Dragon They are most active during the day, and many goanna species like to hang around water courses and rock pools, lazing and sun basking, just like we do. If you travel anywhere in the Australian Outback you are highly likely to see goannas in the wild. I have a few sand monitors living here, and they don't take much notice of me any more. All my photos on this page were taken very close to my veranda. Of course, if you corner it or try to catch and wrestle it you might find out just how sharp these teeth and claws really are. If the goanna has room to run it'll run away from you. (Aussies love to scare tourists with horror stories about what our animals might do to you.)
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You may have heard stories that if there aren't any trees the goanna will use you instead and tear shreds of you. They are very good tree climbers, and that is what they will often run for. Goannas can run very fast over short distances, sometimes using their hind legs only. But mostly I see them stand up when they hear/notice anything suspicious, to look around for threats (in those cases that would have been me.).
![where is the argus monitor from where is the argus monitor from](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/itYItbIZe2A/maxresdefault.jpg)
Sometimes they do it to scare off attackers. (Can you imagine the size of the burrow system of a four feet goanna? In your garden? One day I'll break an ankle stepping into one of their holes.) They dig holes when searching for food, they dig holes to lay their eggs in, and they dig huge burrows to shelter in. They live on the ground, they find their food on the ground, and they dig an unbelievable amount of holes. Monitor lizards are mostly terrestrial (except for water monitors).