Elizabeth White / Ants nest in the Outback, Western Australia

Daniel Heuclin / Timor monitor (Varanus timorensis) captive, from Timor

Chien Lee / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) in grass, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Tim Laman / Mangrove / Blue-tailed Monitor (Varanus doreanus)female. Paul Oliver weighs the monitor lizard. Foja Mountains, Papua, Indonesia, 2008. (taken during Conservation International Rapid Assessment Progra...

Georgette Douwma / Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) on beach, Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia, October

Rod Williams / Green / Emerald Tree Monitor (Varanus prasinus) head portrait climbing tree trunk. Captive, from Papua New Guinea, Indonesia

Georgette Douwma / Asian water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) Malaysia. Sipidan.

Georgette Douwma / Asian water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) climbing tree, Kinabatangan flood plain, Sabah, Malaysia

Tui De Roy / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) large male walking towards camera, Komodo National Park, Komodo Island, Indonesia

Mark Jones / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) large male testing ground for scent with specialized forked tongue, Komodo National Park, Komodo Island, Indonesia

Michael Pitts / Mertens water monitor swimming {Varanus mertensi} Litchfield NP Australia

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon hatching from egg (Varanus komodoensis) Komodo Is Indonesia

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon, 2-day-old (Varanus komodoensis) in Tamarind tree, Komodo Is

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon about to lay eggs in burrow made in megapode mound (Varanus komodoensis) Komodo Is

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragons, 2-day-old (V. komodoensis) Hatchlings climb trees to avoid being eaten by predators.

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon hatchling emerging from megapode mound (Varanus komodoensis) Komodo Is

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon female head profile portrait (Varanus komodoensis) Komodo Is Indonesia

Jason Venus / Desert monitor {Varanus griseus} Sahara desert

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon hatchling, 4 days old. Komodo Island, Indonesia. The young climb trees to escape being eaten by adult dragons.

BARBARA TODD / Komodo dragon, Indonesia.

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon {Varanus komodoensis} hatching from egg, Komodo Island, Indonesia.

Jurgen Freund / Komodo Dragon on beach with tourists, Komodo Island

Tony Heald / Southern savanna (Rock) monitor {Varanus albigularis} panting Etosha NP, Namibia

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon on beach, Komodo Is (Varanus komodoensis) Indonesia

Steven David Miller / Perentie {Varanus giganteus} Northern Territory, Australia, Alice Springs Reptile Park - largest Australian monitor lizard

Jabruson / Bushmeat market: Forest Monitor Lizard (Varanus ornatus) meat being butchered by merchant, Gamba town, Ogooue-Maritime / Nyanga, Gabon, February 2009

Jabruson / Bushmeat market with dead Forest Monitor Lizard (Varanus ornatus) held by trader, Gamba town, Ogooue-Maritime / Nyanga, Gabon, February 2009

Suzi Eszterhas / Asian Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) resting on branch over Kinabatangan River, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Ingo Arndt / Common Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) swimming, native to southern Asia

Mark Carwardine / Komodo dragon feeding on bait at tourist area {Varanus komodoensis} Komodo, Indonesia

Mark Carwardine / Komodo dragon portrait {Varanus komodoensis} Komodo, Indonesia

Mark Carwardine / Komodo dragon drooling {Varanus komodoensis} Komodo, Indonesia

Charlie Summers / Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) climbing up termite mound, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Shibai Xiao / Water monitor (Varanus salvator) captured by poachers, Bawangling National Nature Reserve, Hainan Island, China, January 2007.

Shibai Xiao / Asian water monitor lizard (Varanus salvator) group, Wildanimal rescue center, Hanning, Guangxi Province, China. Captive.

Steven David Miller / Mertens' water monitor (Varanus mertensi) walking through grass, note skin shedding around head, Lake Kununurra, Western Australia, July

Steven David Miller / Mertens' water monitor (Varanus mertensi) profile, note skin shedding around head, Lake Kununurra, Western Australia, July

Steven David Miller / Mertens' water monitor (Varanus mertensi) profile, walking through grass, Lake Kununurra, Western Australia, July

Konrad Wothe / Lace monitor (Varanus varius) Daintree National Park, Queensland, Australia

Konrad Wothe / Lace monitor (Varanus varius) Daintree National Park, Queensland, Australia

Martin Willis / Banded Tree Monitor (Varanus scalaris) juvenille, Atherton Tableland, Queensland, Australia

Martin Willis / Mertens' Water Monitor (Varanus mertensi) sunbathing, Batchelor, Northern Territory, Australia

Martin Willis / Yellow-spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes) sensing with tongue, Winton, Queensland, Australia

ZSSD / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) flicking tongue, native to Indonesia

ZSSD / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), native to Indonesia

Rod Williams / Philippine water monitor (Varanus cumingi) juvenile, captive, from Philippines

Rod Williams / Philippine Water Monitor (Varanus cumingi) tasting the air. Captive. Endemic to Philippines. UK, July.

Chien Lee / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Chien Lee / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) juvenile scavenging dead buffalo, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Chien Lee / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Chien Lee / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) walking, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Chien Lee / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) walking with tongue extended, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Martin Willis / Yellow-spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes), Gibber Desert, Bedourie, Queensland, Australia

Martin Willis / Yellow-spotted Monitor (Varanus panoptes), Gibber Desert, Bedourie, Queensland, Australia

Suzi Eszterhas / Common Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) resting on branch, Kinabatangan River, Malaysia

Konrad Wothe / Lace monitor / Monitor lizard (Varanus varius) on rainforest floor, Daintree National Park, Queensland, Australia, October

Kevin Schafer/ AITo / Common Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) walking through Maleo (Macrocephalon maleo) breeding ground, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Mark Carwardine / Water Monitor (Varanus salvator) tasting the air with its tongue. Borneo, Indonesia.

Mark Carwardine / Komodo Dragon / Monitor (Varanus komodoensis) walking through stream. Vulnerable. Komodo Island, Indonesia.

Tim Laman / Mangrove / Blue-tailed Monitor (Varanus doreanus)female. Paul Oliver with captured monitor lizard. Foja Mountains, Papua, Indonesia, 2008. (taken during Conservation International Rapid Assessment Pro...

Anup Shah / Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus) Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Anup Shah / Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus) Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Daniel Heuclin / Emerald tree monitor (Varanus prasinus) resting on branch in tree, captive, from New-Guinea

Daniel Heuclin / Rough-neck water monitor (Varanus salvator nuchalis) climbing down branch, Guimaras Island, Philippines, Controlled conditions

Daniel Heuclin / Emerald tree monitor (Varanus prasinus) portrait, captive, from New-Guinea

Daniel Heuclin / Desert monitor lizard (Varanus griseus) studion shot, captive, from Sahara desert

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Giant Monitor Lizard (Varanus giganteus) camouflaged in dry scrub, Watarrka National Park, Northern Territory, Australia

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Giant Monitor Lizard (Varanus giganteus), Watarrka National Park, Northern Territory, Australia

Yva Momatiuk & John Eastcott / Giant Monitor Lizard (Varanus giganteus) drinking from puddle, Watarrka National Park, Northern Territory, Australia

Thomas Rabeil / Desert Monitor (Varanus griseus) in its sandy habitat. Termit Massif, Niger, Africa.

Thomas Rabeil / Desert Monitor (Varanus griseus) appearing to examine the sand. Termit Massif, Niger, Africa.

Thomas Rabeil / Desert Monitor (Varanus griseus) on sand. Termit Massif, Niger, Africa.

Ingo Arndt / Gould's Goanna (Varanus gouldii) warming up on road, Kakadu National Park, Australia

Ingo Arndt / Gould's Goanna (Varanus gouldii) warming up on road, Kakadu National Park, Australia

Rod Williams / Green / Emerald tree monitor (Varanus prasinus) captive, from Papua New Guinea, Indonesia

Suzi Eszterhas / Common Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), Way Kambas National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia

Suzi Eszterhas / Common Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), Way Kambas National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia

Chien Lee / Common Water Monitor (Varanus salvator), Sigirya, Sri Lanka

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) on beach with tongue extended, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) with saliva dribbling from mouth, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) with saliva dribbling from mouth, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) walking, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) on beach with tongue extended, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) on beach with tongue extended, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) pair on beach, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) tracks in sand, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) pair on beach, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) walking along shoreline, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) walking along shoreline, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) walking along shoreline, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) walking along shoreline, Komodo Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) pair feeding, Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Stephen Belcher / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) displaying, Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia