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Range and Habitat: Southeastern Asia, Indonesia, China,
Sumatra, Borneo and Sri Lanka. Lives in heavily forested areas
near rivers.
Habits and Adaptations: The tail is flattened laterally
to aid in swimming. It is the best swimmer and most aquatic of
the monitors, often paddling several miles out to sea. They can
defend themselves with the tail by whipping it around. They will
also bite and claw. The young are often found in trees (for protection).
The adults also use tree branches for basking in the sun and watching
for prey.
Diet: Rodents, fish, insects, birds, molluscs, frogs,
carrion and smaller reptiles. They can swallow eggs without breaking
the shells, digesting them totally in the stomach. They are a
major predator of crocodile nests. They have been seen feeding
on drowned cattle, stealing bait from fish traps, and have the
reputation for being able to dig down six feet into new graves.
Breeding and Maturation: Oviparous. The female digs a
nest and lays her eggs under tree roots, in holes of trees, or
in termite mounds. The young are 8-10" when hatched. Life
span is about 15 years.
Miscellaneous: In Sri Lanka the water monitor is protected
because it eats the freshwater crabs that undermine rice fields.
Although protected by law in most other countries of southeast
Asia, it is hunted indiscriminately. Almost every part of the
water monitor can be put to use. The meat is widely eaten although
it is tough and stringy. A tea is brewed using the gall bladder
as a "tea bag". In folk medicine, it is used to cure
heart and liver ailments. The fat is rendered for skin ointments.
The skin is used for belts, shoes, purses and musical instruments.
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