Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi i have not been on here in quite awhile but i just returned from a long deployment in afghanistan(marine corps) and i saw a boat load of monitors over there. the only info i can find out about monitors in that region are of the desert monitor group and these were way more like niles. they live always close to rivers or streams and in and around corn fields. the adults i sqaw ranged from 4 to 4.5 feet long i captured a number of them and they look nothing like the species liturature i have read said live in afghanistan. i was posted around camp blessing in the hindu kush part of the country. also saw some cobras and i believe a few rat snakes. if anyone has some knowledge to share on the topic please let me know as i have been getting rusty on reptiles. thanks

I think maybe its a bengal monitor they can look similar to water monitors. if that is what you were seeing and catching you were seeing and catching much more $$$$$$ than the marine corps was paying you lol. dont know the legalities of these guys but they are pretty pricy and rare in the US. did you get any pics?

Pat Reaume

It was Varanus Griseus, Desert monitor if you have pix that would be very intresting sense there not very common keep species.

Chad Lane

i doubt it was a grisius he said it looked like a water monitor and was found in and around water. two anti-grisius descriptions

Max,

Welcome back. Both Varanus griseus and Varanus bengalensis occur in Afghanistan. From what you describe, my bet would be V. bengalensis, but with a picture ID could be assured; V. griseus has been described as a poor swimmer. It is a good thing that you did not bring any back with you, because if you were caught, it would have been big trouble; both are classified CITES I. With the way the military works, you would have been prosecuted both by the federal authorities and the military.

I am sure that I could ID the snakes for you also, if you sent some pictures.

Cheers,

Michael

this is V. griseus

np

I think the lizards you are talking about must be Varanus bengalensis - the tail looks compressed compared with the almost round tail of the desert monitor which generally can't cope with agriculture (or people). They don't get very much further west than that and it would be really interesting to see some pictures if you have any.
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Mampam Conservation