Monitors: The Biology of Varanid Lizards

Australia is home to a rich and unique fauna, but few Australian animals are as intriguing as the monitor lizard. Their abundance and bold behavior have made them a familiar favorite with generations of Australian bush walkers, campers, and even picnickers. In an easy-to-read style,Monitors covers the fascinating natural history of these ancient animals, which includes the world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon. This book is an update of the successful 1993 Australian Natural History Series title, Goanna. Since the publication of the first edition, many major studies have been undertaken on Australian, Asian, and African species of monitors (goannas) and much fascinating new information regarding varanid lizards has emerged. For instance, research on Varanus albigularis has revealed that they can count, while work on Varanus salvator shows that they swim in the ocean when not searching for food. These findings plus other new information in areas as diverse as taxonomy, diet, breeding behavior, and energetics have been incorporated into this text. Two new additions are a chapter on parasites of varanids and a section on foraging strategy.