Goanna - Sand monitor

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What is a Goanna
Early white settlers saw these creatures and thought they were a type of "Iguana" (which is the Guyana Indian name for Lizard) and over the years this word transformed into the present word GOANNA Goanna's are in reality "Monitor Lizards" of which Australia has 20 of the 30 species found worldwide. One of the most common Goannas in Australia is the SAND MONITOR

General
In northern Australia it is active throughout the year; in the south, it is inactive in the cooler months. Goannas are good tree climbers and strong swimmers.

Description
Head and Body Length: to 65.5cm
Total Overall Length: to 160cm
A Goanna has a flattened body, a tail ready to strike at enemies, stout limbs, long digits and sharp claws. Goannas have a long neck with loose skin under the throat which sags in some species causing it to look like the neck is bigger than the head. A Goanna has a snake-like tongue which flicks in and out.

Habitat
Goannas are largely terrestrial and digs its own burrow system but it will readily take refuge in a tree if a burrow is not nearby. woodland, shrubland and grassland growing on sandy soils over most of the continent

Breeding
In northern Australia the Goanna breeds in the wet season (summer); in the south mating occurs in spring. From three to 11 eggs are laid into a long deep nest-burrow which is plugged and concealed by the female. Hatchlings are seen in mid to late summer and captive incubation of eggs (at about 30 degrees C) has taken from 169 to 265 days. This indicates that the eggs over-winter and that young emerge in the following spring. 

Feeding
The Goanna is an active forager which tracks down and digs out lizards (and their eggs), insects, spiders, scorpions, centipedes and even small mammals(a). Carrion is taken when available and both freshwater and marine turtle eggs may be dug up


Hunting & Defence
Goannas saunter on four feet. They can also run quickly on their back legs and take a two-legged posture when defensive