Monitor Lizard In India

In Tamil and Malayalam, monitor lizards are known as udumbu, ghorpad घोरपड in Marathi, uda in Kannada, in Sinhalese as kabaragoya, and in Telugu as Udumu. Due to confusion with the large New World lizards of the family Iguanidae, the lizards became known as "goannas" in Australia. Similarly, in South Africa they are referred to as leguaan, from the Dutch for iguana.

The generic name inspired the name of the Japanese movie monster Varan.

Five species of monitor lizard are classified by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora under Appendix II, which is loosely defined as species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may become so unless trade in such species is subject to strict regulation in order to avoid utilization incompatible with the survival of the species in the wild. Another five species  are classified under CITES Appendix I, which means they are species that are threatened with extinction.

In  some parts of South India, catching or killing of monitor lizards is banned under Protected Species Act.

Monitor lizards are usually large reptiles. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial. Almost all monitor lizards are carnivorous although some eat fruits. They lay eggs, which they often cover with soil or protect in a hollow tree stump.