Desert monitor

Varanus griseus

Venomous lizards🦷 Bites

Danger to people: PainfulIt can really hurt, but it is almost never serious.

Desert monitor belongs to the group: Venomous lizards. It lives in: Africa, Asia.2

Lives in

Africa, Asia2

Length

1 m (3.3 ft)2

typical adult size

Top speed

about 14 km/h (8.7 mph)

On land, rough guess

Venom power

Bites

Venom comes out through its fangs or teeth when it bites.

How dangerous is it to people?

Danger to people: PainfulIt can really hurt, but it is almost never serious.

🚑 If it bites or stings

Wash the wound, keep the person calm and get medical help.

Always call your emergency number first (112, 000, 911). This is general first aid guidance, not medical advice. First aid basics

⛑️ Stay safe

Never touch, catch or tease a wild animal, even a small one, and even if it looks asleep or dead.
Give it space. If you meet one, stay calm, step back slowly and let it go its own way.
If one bites or stings you: stay calm, keep still, call your emergency number (112, 000, 911) or get to a hospital fast. Remember what it looked like, a photo helps.

It is not out to get you. It uses its venom to catch food or to protect itself, and it would much rather hide. More about staying safe

Where in the world?

Africa Asia Europe North America South America Australia & Oceania The oceans

How big is it?

How long is it?

as long as 2 house cats nose to tailas long as 6 bananas end to endcould cover 100 metres in 26 seconds (the fastest human needs 9.6)

How big is Desert monitor compared to YOU?

Just maths in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.

How fast is it?

A person walking about 5 km/h (3.1 mph)

A kid on a bike about 12 km/h (7.5 mph)

Desert monitor about 14 km/h (8.7 mph)

A galloping horse about 65 km/h (40 mph)

For venom experts

Scientific name: Varanus griseus
Group: Venomous lizards
Family: Varanidae1
Order: Squamata
Continents: Africa, Asia
Danger to people: 2 / 5: Painful2

Where the facts come from

Varanus griseus (iNaturalist): names and classification.
Venom Wiki: the danger level, the typical size and the speed guess are our own. See how we work them out: How we rate danger.

Every fact on this page has a number that points to its source. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are animal fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

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