Kimberley Rock Monitor (Varanus glauerti )

Common Name: Kimberley Rock Monitor
Scientific Name: Varanus glauerti
Source: CB

Adult Size: Typically 60–80 cm total length

Native Range: Kimberley region of north-western Australia and parts of the Northern Territory

Enclosure: Secure terrestrial–climbing enclosure with extensive rock structure; minimum around 120 × 60 × 60 cm with stacked stone, ledges and tight crevice shelters

Heating: Basking spot 45 °C; ambient 26–30 °C; night drop around 20–24 °C

Humidity: 30–60 % with good ventilation; provide localised humid retreats within rockwork

UVB: High out put UVB lighting

Diet: Carnivorous; insects such as roaches, crickets and locusts with occasional vertebrate prey items

Water: Fresh water dish available at all times

ABOUT THIS SPECIES

Varanus glauerti is a slender, fast-moving monitor lizard native to the rugged sandstone escarpments of the Kimberley region in north-western Australia. Often referred to as the Kimberley Rock Monitor, it belongs to the Odatria group of smaller monitor species adapted to rocky environments.

This species has a narrow head, long limbs and a very long tail that can account for much of its overall length. The body is typically reddish-brown to dark brown with lighter ocelli or spotting across the back, while the tail often shows strong banding. These patterns provide effective camouflage against the cliffs and boulder fields where the species naturally occurs.

In the wild, Kimberley Rock Monitors spend much of their time navigating vertical rock faces and narrow crevices. Their body shape allows them to wedge into tight cracks for shelter and protection, and they are agile climbers that move easily across uneven surfaces. Their diet consists mainly of insects and other small prey, including spiders and small lizards.