Bengal Monitor

Varanus bengalensis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassSquamata
FamilyVaranidae (Monitor Lizards)
GenusVaranus (Monitor Lizards)
SpeciesVaranus bengalensis (Bengal Monitor)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Gir National Park

3 Verified sightings at Gir National Park From 2019 to 2026

616 Verified sightings across all 19 parks From 2019 to 2026

🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted at dawn and dusk

About the Bengal Monitor

The Bengal monitor (Varanus bengalensis), also called Indian monitor, is a species of monitor lizard distributed widely in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia and West Asia. The populations of monitors in India and Sri Lanka differ in the scalation from those of Myanmar; these populations were once considered subspecies of the Bengal monitor, but are now considered two species within the V. bengalensis species complex. What was once the nominate subspecies, V. bengalensis, is found west of Myanmar, while the clouded monitor (V. nebulosus) is found to the east. Clouded monitors can be differentiated by the presence of a series of enlarged scales in the supraocular region. The number of ventral scales varies, decreasing from 108 in the west to 75 in the east (Java).

The Bengal monitor can reach 175 cm (69 in) with a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 75 cm (30 in) and a tail of 100 cm (39 in). Males are generally larger than females. Heavy individuals may weigh nearly 7.2 kg (16 lb). Young Bengal monitors are more colourful than adults. Young have a series of dark crossbars on the neck, throat and back. The belly is white, banded with dark... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~80%
2	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~80%
3	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	~50%
4	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	~50%
5	Minneriya National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~50%
6	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	~40%
7	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	~40%
8	Mudumalai National Park	🇮🇳 India	~40%
9	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
10	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~30%
11	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
12	Ranthambore National Park	🇮🇳 India	~30%
13	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
14	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
15	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	Insufficient data
16	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
17	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
18	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
19	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	Insufficient data

← Back to Gir National Park