Bengal monitor lizard

Scientific Name

Varanus bengalensis

IUCN Status

Least Concern (LC)

Lifespan

22 years (captivity)

Weight

up to 7 kg

Range

All over India except the Thar desert and Himalayas

Habitat Type

Tropical Evergreen Forests, Deciduous Forests, Scrub Forests

Threats

Hunting for meat

Did You Know

The Bengal monitor lizard is immune to the toxins of many venomous snakes.

IUCN Status

Least Concern (LC)

Lifespan

22 years (captivity)

Weight

up to 7 kg

Range

All over India except the Thar desert and Himalayas

Habitat Type

Tropical Evergreen Forests, Deciduous Forests, Scrub Forests

Threats

Hunting for meat

Did You Know

The Bengal monitor lizard is immune to the toxins of many venomous snakes.

Through videos, stories, infographics and more, here's a deep dive into the world and life of the Bengal monitor lizard

Green Humour

See the species from a cartoonist's point of view

Deep Dive

Photos, stories, videos and everything you want to know

Of Forked Tongues and Scaling Fort Walls: Story of the Bengal Monitor Lizard Learn More chevron_right
6 Results
Subtle Showstoppers: Bowled Over by the Monitors in My Yard
Wild Vault
Subtle Showstoppers: Bowled Over by the Monitors in My Yard
Anirudh Nair
Their ancient aura and irreplaceable swagger intact, udumbus or common monitor lizards have proliferated in a little village in Kerala’s backwaters
By
Anirudh Nair
Wild Vault
Bengal Monitor: Armoured Carnivores of Asia
Photo Story
Bengal Monitor: Armoured Carnivores of Asia
Tanvi Sawant
Bengal monitors are as mighty and tenacious as they look, surviving and thriving in various habitats, including bustling urban spaces
By
Tanvi Sawant
Photo Story
Bengal Monitor Lizard: Facts, Habitat, and Illegal Trade
Infographic
Bengal Monitor Lizard: Facts, Habitat, and Illegal Trade
Nisarg Prakash
Diviya Mehra
All you need to know about the common monitor lizard or the Bengal monitor
By
Nisarg Prakash
Diviya Mehra
Infographic
Monitor Lizards: Unsung Dragons of the Indian Subcontinent
Conservation
Monitor Lizards: Unsung Dragons of the Indian Subcontinent
Aathira Perinchery
Though monitor lizards are routinely captured for meat and body parts, basic ecological and behavioural information on these large reptiles is lacking
By
Aathira Perinchery
Conservation
The Ultimate Survivor: The Swagger of the Bengal Monitor
Video
The Ultimate Survivor: The Swagger of the Bengal Monitor
Sustain Team
The Bengal monitor lizard is an extraordinary survivor. It has roamed the planet for over 50 million years, battling storms, floods, droughts. Watch the scaly, cold-blooded predator swagger across India’s forests
By
Sustain Team
Video
Of Forked Tongues and Scaling Fort Walls: Story of the Bengal Monitor Lizard
Species
Of Forked Tongues and Scaling Fort Walls: Story of the Bengal Monitor Lizard
Gerry Martin
The Bengal monitor lizard could be a useful ally in human dominated landscapes, if only its population wasn’t being decimated as a result of baseless beliefs and myths
By
Gerry Martin
Species