Reptile & Amphibian Forums

during my enlistment in the marine corps i deployed to north eastern afghanistan, and while there i saw a bunch of monitors varying from 12 inches to around 4 feet long, i think they were bengals but i cant say for sure. i dont have any pics but they resembled a more slender version of a nile monitor. anyone know what they might have been. thanks
here is a pic of my nile

hey buddy, nice lookin nile you have there. great colors and looks very stout. thanx btw for serving in that hellhole. im pretty sure that you are right in your guess of what you saw being a bengal. but im no expert.
joe

THANKS, THE PIC DOESNT DO HIM JUSTICE, HE HAS A REALLY NICE BLUISH TINT ON THE SIDES OF HIS HEAD AND NECK, GREAT TEMPERMENT TOO. HISSES SOMETIMES BUT HE CAME FROM A PRETTY CRAPPY PLACE SO I CANT BLAME HIM. LATER
MAX

V. griseus inhabits most arid areas of Afghanistan. I don't recall V. bengalensis going north or west of Pakistan??? Try doing google/images of each species to see if either fits your animal.

Hello,
The lizard in the pic appears to be a beautiful specimen of V. ornatus not a Nile and it sounds like griseus that you observed in the field. Best to you-Mike S