Range: Indonesia, Paupau New Guinea

Habitat: Dense Tropical Forests

Natural Diet: Mammals, Birds

Diet at Rain Forest: Primarily rodents

Size: Females up to 10 feet, males up to 12 feet (including tail)

RainForest Facts: A highly arboreal lizard, the Crocodile Monitor is actually considered the longest of all living monitor lizards, the tail can be as much as 45% of the length of the total animal.  Noted for having a highly aggressive personality, the Crocodile Monitor is given plenty of respect by the keepers at RainForest Adventures.  Female Crocodile Monitors deposit 8-10 leathery eggs in carefully excavated nests of organic material.   The decomposition of the organic matter assists in maintaining adequate incubation temperature.

Status in Wild: Numbers are rapidly declining due to over collection for skin trade as well as loss of habitat. 

Natives utilize the skin of the Crocodile Monitor to make drums. 

Captive breeding programs are having a positive impact on the number exported from the wild to supply the pet trade.