Varanus exanthematicus

Also known as Bosc's Monitor, Savanna Monitor

Savannah monitors possess heavy limbs and stout bodies well suited for digging burrows and foraging across African grasslands. During the wet season, these ground-dwelling lizards feast heavily on snails, crickets, and millipedes to store fat reserves before spending drier months inactive underground. When cornered, adults inflate their throats, hiss loudly, and strike defensively using their thick muscular tails.