- Origin: Indonesia
- Class: Reptiles
- Order: Squamates
- Suborder: Sauriens
- Family: Varanidés
Discovered in 2001, this species lives only on the small island of Batanda, off the coast of Papua New Guinea. The blue monitor is found in very humid rainforests. It is a tree-dweller, very agile and fearful, and likes to sneak around to find hiding places. It is a very active lizard that is constantly on the move, unlike other reptiles.
It is easily recognised by its slender body, long snout and blue colouring with black spots. It can grow up to a meter long, with a very large tail that accounts for two-thirds of its length. It is used as a fifth limb because it is prehensile. When young, it feeds mainly on insects; as an adult, it will occasionally eat an egg or small rodents… It is a carnivore.
Oviparous, the female lays 5 to 8 eggs, which are incubated for around 160 to 180 days. When a female is gravid, she isolates herself, needing to be alone in peace and quiet. The blue monitor is still little known due to its recent discovery.
IUCN-Status : near threatened (Appendix II)