In addition, monitors are at risk due to their desirability as pets. The monitors live throughout dry southwestern Africa and roam over a 10-15 square mile range. They often walk 2-3 miles per day searching for prey that might include snakes, other lizards, birds, bird eggs, large invertebrates and carrion. Food is available seasonally, so it is vitally important that the monitor store enough food to live off its fat reserves for up to seven months. The line between vitality and starvation is thin, one thrown out of balance with the destruction of the habitat.
Biologists are able to locate and observe the monitor through radio tagging.
Because these lizards are solitary, it would be impossible to understand their biology without locating them on a daily basis. Modern, lightweight radio tags allow researchers to make needed observations to help understand and support this species. The white-throated monitor is part of the monitor lizard family represented by a group of over 50 species including the world s largest lizard, the Komodo dragon. Monitor lizards are found in Africa, through Asia, Australia and the Indo-Papuan archipelago. While they all bear their young by laying eggs, the incubation period ranges from 64 days to 280 days.