The Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) is a large African lizard featured in the Standard Edition of Planet Zoo.
Zoopedia Description[]
General[]
Population In the Wild: Unknown
The Nile monitor (or Varanus niloticus) is a large species of reptile that lives in the non-desert area of Sub-Saharan Africa. They have also been introduced to the USA - specifically California and Florida - where they are regarded as an invasive species.
Nile monitors much prefer environments close to water, tending to live near rivers. Both sexes look the same and are between 120 and 220cm long, with more than half of this length being their tail. Adults tend to be brown to green, with dark stripes on their body and yellow spots on their legs and head. Meanwhile, juveniles are black with bright yellow spots.
The species is not endangered but they are exploited in certain areas of Africa where they are hunted for their skin and meat. Their body fat is also believed to have healing properties in traditional medicine, although there is no scientific evidence for this.
Social[]
Nile monitors are solitary animals and prefer to be alone.
Reproduction[]
After tracking a female by scent, a male will follow her until one of two scenarios: either she allows him to mate with her, or he gives up. If two or more males meet when tracking females then they will fight, and a smaller monitor will yield to the larger one. Having mated, a female will carry her eggs with her until the rainy season. After a rainfall, she will dig a nest in the soft ground before covering the eggs over, and these will incubate for 3 to 10 months depending on the environmental conditions. The newly hatched young must dig their way out of the nest and may need to wait for it to rain to be able to get out, although some mothers do return to their nests to help. After hatchlings emerge, they live independently and reach sexual maturity at 3 to 4 years old.
Animal Care[]
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PREFERRED OBJECTS | |
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Rodents · Mealworms · Amphibians | |
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FEEDING STATIONS | |
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FOOD ENRICHMENT |
HABITAT ENRICHMENT |
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COMPATIBLE ANIMALS |
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Nile Monitor doesn't benefit from sharing space with other species. |
Trivia[]
Zoopedia Fun Facts[]
- Many female Nile monitors break into termite nests and lay their eggs inside them because the termites repair the damage afterwards and thus shelter the eggs.
- When in danger or antagonised, the Nile monitor will attack with a powerful whip from its long tail.
- Nile monitors are preyed upon by martial eagles, which can pick up and carry a lizard weighing up to 4kg.
- Nile monitors are causing the crocodile and alligator population in Florida to decrease because they are so effective at robbing their nests of eggs and hatchlings.
- Nile monitors never stop growing; they continue to get larger throughout their lives.
Gallery[]
