19a595616f64f740b3019d8a49d80c8b

Varanus indicus occurs in the Pacific from Japan to southern Australia and on many of the islands of the Pacific. Man-aided dispersal from the East Indies to some small pacific islands was facilitated by Polynesians in order to provide a meat supply. It is not known whether all these island locations were natural or man-aided dispersal. The monitors were also introduced to Japan from the Japanese in the Marshall Islands before World War II. The habitat of V. indicus consists of damp river banks and in coastal forests. Varanus indicus ranges from 75 to 120 cm in length and has dark colorations with various small, yellow spots. The head is long and narrow, with the neck longer than the head. The tail is almost two times the length of the body and strongly compressed.