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This 4 ft Nile Monitor was captured in South Brandon, Florida
All monitors are tropical reptiles. They are active lizards, that may be very
hostile, lashing out with their tails upon the slightest provocation. Even a
small monitor can produce a stinging lash with its tail.
The claws of monitors are long and sharp. The jaws are very strong. Once they
bite something it is very difficult to get them to let go.
Monitors are carnivorous and will devour anything they are capable of
dismembering and gulping down. Species which live in or near water will readily
eat fish.
Monitors do not divest themselves of their tails, like some other lizards. Once lost, the tail of a monitor does not grow back.
Monitors tend to swallow their prey whole, like snakes. Monitors are daytime
lizards and most species actively search for food. Some species eat dead and
decaying flesh, giant land snails, grasshoppers, beetles, whip scorpions, crocodile and birds;
eggs, crabs, fish, other lizards, snakes, nestling birds, shrews and squirrels.
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