Common name: Desert Monitor
Scientific name: Varanus griseus
Family: Varanidae

Size:
Total length: 80–130 cm
Weight: 1–2.5 kg

Identification:
A large, powerful lizard with a long neck, elongated body, and strong limbs. The coloration is typically sandy-yellow to light brown, often with darker bands or spots across the body and tail, providing excellent camouflage in desert environments. It has a long, forked tongue used for sensing its surroundings, similar to snakes. The head is relatively narrow with sharp teeth adapted for predation.

Habitat:
Deserts, semi-deserts, sandy plains, and arid scrublands. Often found in areas with loose soil where it can dig burrows for shelter.

Status in the UAE:
Native and locally common. Widely distributed across desert habitats.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds on insects, rodents, birds, eggs, reptiles, and carrion. An opportunistic predator and scavenger.

Behavior:
Diurnal and highly active, especially during warmer months. A fast runner and strong digger, often using burrows for shelter. Solitary and territorial. When threatened, it may hiss loudly, inflate its body, or lash its tail in defense.

Conservation status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)