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

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

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

Mark Carwardine / Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) resting on branch, captive, from Africa

Suzi Eszterhas / Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) climbing over rock pile, Mala Mala Reserve, South Africa

Suzi Eszterhas / Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) swimming, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Lake Victoria, Uganda

Suzi Eszterhas / Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus), Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Lake Victoria, Uganda

Suzi Eszterhas / Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus), Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Lake Victoria, Uganda

Suzi Eszterhas / Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus), Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Lake Victoria, Uganda

Jabruson / Close up of foot of Water / Nile monitor lizard {Varanus niloticus} Epulu Ituri Rainforest Reserve, Dem Rep of Congo

Jabruson / Close up of skin of Water / Nile monitor lizard {Varanus niloticus} Epulu Ituri Rainforest Reserve, Dem Rep of Congo

Sharon Heald / Water monitor lizard {Varanus niloticus} leaving nest after raiding bird nest in a riverbank, Chobe National Park, Botswana

Philippe Clement / Nile monitor {Varanus niloticus} sitting on rock, Kruger NP, South Africa

PREMAPHOTOS / Nile monitor lizard {Varanus niloticus} basking on rock, South Africa

PREMAPHOTOS / Two Nile monitor lizards {Varanus niloticus} interacting in forest pool, Gambia

Anup Shah / Nile monitor {Varanus niloticus} resting in tree, Katavi NP, Tanzania

Piotr Naskrecki / Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus) juvenile climbing on branch, Africa

Pete Oxford / Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus) raiding Carmine Bee-eater nests in rock face, Botswana

Tony Heald / Water monitor lizard / Nile monitor {Varanus niloticus} head with tympanum visible, Chobe national park, Botswana.

Richard Du Toit / Nile monitor {Varanus niloticus} Chobe NP, Botswana

Philippe Clement / Nile monitor {Varanus niloticus} Kruger NP South Africa

Richard Du Toit / Nile water monitor climbing tree {Varanus niloticus} Chobe river, Chobe NP, Botswana

Lisa Asch / Nile monitor lizard {Varanus niloticus} crossing water covered in Water hyacinth, Masai Mara, Kenya

Richard Du Toit / Nile monitor {Varanus niloticus} climbing up dead tree trunk, Chobe NP, Botswana

Andrew Parkinson / Nile monitor {Varanus niloticus} with head raised, Chobe NP, Botswana

Andrew Parkinson / Nile monitor portrait {Varanus niloticus} Chobe NP, Botswana

Richard Du Toit / Nile monitor {Varanus niloticus} emerging from hole in dead tree trunk, Chobe NP, Botswana

Richard Du Toit / Nile monitor portrait showing operculum and nostrils {Varanus niloticus} Chobe NP, Botswana

Richard Du Toit / Nile monitor eating crab {Varanus niloticus} Chobe river, Chobe NP, Botswana