Nile Monitor Lizard, Snapshot from Nance
The Nile monitor lizards in Africa are descendants of the dinosaurs Mosasaurs, the giant, aquatic lizard from the Cretaceous period (seen below). The Nile monitors possess an unparalleled reputation for fierceness and seldom back down from a challenge—not even from crocodiles.
Image from FunkMonk (Michael B. H.)
One of the largest lizards in Africa, it can run, swim, and climb with surprising swiftness. Nile monitors have voracious appetites and will eat almost anything—whether they kill it themselves or find it as carrion. Their diet includes frogs, toads, small mammals, fish, lizards, turtles, birds, crabs, spiders, shellfish, snails, insects, worms, slugs, and eggs.
These lizards hunt by leaping on their prey at alarming speeds—though sometimes they employ stealth. They will work in pairs to steal crocodile eggs: One distracts the mother crocodile; the other pilfers the nest and escapes with the eggs.
Read more at Mpala Field Guide and catch them on the African Wildlife Cams!
Trackbacks for this post