Savannah monitor | Facts & Information

# Savannah monitor | Facts & Information

Savannah monitor | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Savannah monitor

The savanna monitor (Varanus exanthematicus) is part of the family Varanidae, genus Varanus. It is native to Africa and the countries in which it lives are many: Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda, Congo.

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Savannah Monitor

Savannah monitor

The Savannah Monitor is a fascinating reptile that belongs to the Varanidae family and lives in the savannas of East Africa. Although it is considered a very intimidating animal due to its size and imposing appearance, the Savannah Monitor is an important member of the savannah ecosystem and plays an essential role in maintaining ecological balance.

This monitor, also known by its scientific name Varanus exanthematicus, is the largest member of the Varanidae family and can reach a length of up to 2.4 meters and a weight of approximately 10 kg. It is covered with scaly skin, which provides important protection against predators and helps it camouflage in its environment.

The Savannah Monitor is an excellent jumper and has an impressive speed, being capable of moving at speeds of up to 40 km/h. This ability allows it to efficiently capture prey. The diet of this reptile mainly consists of insects, rodents, bird eggs, and other small reptiles. Sometimes, they may also hunt fish and other animals that live near water. The Savannah Monitor has a frugal appetite and will eat only once every few days, depending on the size and availability of food.

The distinctive feature of the Savannah Monitor is its forked tongue, which allows it to sense the presence of prey in the surrounding environment. Its natural habitat consists of dry and warm savannas in East Africa, as well as areas near water, where it finds the necessary food. Despite its intimidating appearance, the Savannah Monitor is a solitary animal and usually avoids contact with humans.

After a mating period, the female monitor will lay eggs in a burrow or an abandoned den. The nest can contain between 20 and 60 eggs, and the female will carefully protect them until they hatch. The incubation period lasts between 7 and 8 months, depending on the temperature of the environment, and the hatchlings will emerge in a very vulnerable state. In the first years of life, the Savannah Monitor has a high mortality rate due to predators and unfavorable conditions.

The Savannah Monitor plays a crucial role in the savannah ecosystem, contributing to the control of rodent and insect populations that can affect the vegetation and crops in the area. Additionally, as an herbivorous animal, the urine and feces of the Savannah Monitor serve as a seed source for plants and help fertilize the soil. Therefore, these reptiles are essential for maintaining the biodiversity and ecological balance of the savannah.

In conclusion, the Savannah Monitor is an impressive animal that plays an essential role in the ecosystem of the East African savannah. With its intimidating size and appearance, this reptile contributes to the control of rodent and insect populations and helps fertilize the soil through its urine and feces. The Savannah Monitor represents a remarkable example of adaptation to the surrounding environment and deserves to be protected and conserved to ensure the balance and continuity of life in these complex ecosystems.

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Animals

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Species

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Languages

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Facts

Origin

The species also known in Europe as Bosc's monitor bears this name due to the scientist Louis Bosc, who first described the species.

Foreign names: English: African Savannah Monitor, French: Varan des savanes, German: Steppenvaran, Spanish: Varano de sabana.

It is also known as Bosc's monitor.

Savanna Monitor feed

The Savannah monitor feeds almost exclusively on arthropods and mollusks.

The diet includes small animals (no older than two months), crickets, scorpions, anfbians, etc.

After a certain period adults discover the taste of snails.

Savanna Monitor features

It is an animal with strong but delatively short limbs, with skull and dentition adapted for hunting. It rarely exceeds 1.5 m in length.

Females are somewhat smaller than males. The color of the skin depends on the habitat in which it lives. The scales are large and quite rare. His weight, especially of males is 5-6kg.

The main predators of the Savannah monitor are snakes, birds and humans. One of the natural protections he benefits from and uses very well is camouflage.

He prefers to play dead or run away when in danger, and when cornered he defends himself with powerful tail blows and bites.

Other methods of intimidation are whistling, wagging the tail and hitting the ground hard.

It is not currently a threatened species, but is sought after and hunted for skin, meat and the animal trade. Hundreds of thousands of perhaps 1-2 million specimens have been captured and exported to North America alone in recent years, plus significant undeclared animal trade.

Savannah Monitor breeding

Copulation can last several hours. After almost four weeks of mating, the female lays between 10 and 50 eggs. It will also make a nest in the ground 15-30cm deep.

Some females choose to lay their eggs in termite Burrows (probably because they can dig more easily).

After an incubation period at a temperature of 29-30grc in about 5-6 months the chicks emerge (usually in March). Newborns are 13cm long and weigh 20 grams.

At 4 weeks after birth, the Cubs will start hunting mainly insects on their own.

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Savannah monitor | Facts & InformationSavannah Monitor | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Savannah Monitor