Generally speaking, yes, they're similar in the ways that all monitors are with those things you stated. But if they didn't each have to adapt to a very particular way of looking, they would all look the same. Cheetahs are faster because they have fast prey. Lions are stronger because they have large and strong prey - in broad terms. Of course there are many other reasons for all the differences between a lion and a cheetah, but for the sake of argument, they adapted over the years to suit to a particular way of life in a particular region. Same thing with the many many many different species of monitors, except the differences are much much much less substantial - differences nonetheless though that I, as a monitor keeper, take in to consideration. It's these differences that made Black throats, white throats, and Savannahs. Not just exanthematicus in one species. AS for the whole pet trade thing, I hate it with a passion. I wish I could change that drastically, so as to preserve and separate the lives of as many wild and captive monitors as possible, but it's me against money. I lose. I still think that the ability to breed Savannah monitors in captivity may lessen the imports, and hopefully increase the price tag on Savannahs. Once they're captive bred, everyone will want only captive bred, because it's so much better somewhere along the lines. That's just how I feel on it though.

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