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Varanidae:
All living varanids share a small head, long neck, sturdy body and limbs, and long, powerful tail.
All varanids are carnivores, although the Philippine butaans (V. olivaceus) seasonally eat fruit. The smaller species prey mainly on insects, small reptiles, and amphibians. With increasing body sizes, prey preference shifts increasingly to larger vertebrates, including mammals.Most species are terrestrial-arboreal predators, searching for prey in trees as well as on the ground. Some species (V. indicus, V. niloticus) regularly forage near water and occasionally in water. Varanus mertensi feeds and hides in water. |
