Savannah monitor

The savannah monitor, also known as Bosc's monitor, is a medium-sized lizard native to Africa. It belongs to the subgenus Polydaedalus, and its scientific name, Varanus exanthematicus, pertains to the large oval scales on the back of its neck. These lizards are robustly built, with short limbs and toes and have adapted skulls and teeth for consuming hard-shelled prey. Their diet predominantly consists of invertebrates, and their skin color varies based on their habitat. They are often mistaken for white-throated monitors.

In their natural habitat, savannah monitors primarily consume arthropods and mollusks. Female monitors can lay up to 40 eggs, which hatch after approximately 156-160 days.

Savannah monitors are common in the pet trade, with numerous juveniles collected from West African countries and exported globally. Unfortunately, these lizards frequently become unwanted pets and have a high mortality rate within their first year of capture. Moreover, their skins are valued in the international leather trade, particularly those procured from Chad, Mali, and Sudan. These lizards are primarily ground-dwellers and typically seek shelter in burrows.

Although the savannah monitor is listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN, it faces threats from hunting for leather, meat, and the pet trade. Trade data indicates significant imports of live specimens and skins into the US, especially from Ghana, Togo, and Benin. While the species' vast range currently precludes it from being a global conservation concern, monitoring and regulating the trade is essential to ensure sustainable practices.