Varanus bengalensis
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The Bengal monitor (Varanus bengalensis), also called Indian monitor, is a species of monitor lizard distributed widely in the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia and West Asia. The populations of monitors in India and Sri Lanka differ in the scalation from those of Myanmar; these populations were once considered subspecies of the Bengal monitor, but are now considered two species within the V. bengalensis species complex. What was once the nominate subspecies, V. bengalensis, is found west of Myanmar, while the clouded monitor (V. nebulosus) is found to the east. Clouded monitors can be differentiated by the presence of a series of enlarged scales in the supraocular region. The number of ventral scales varies, decreasing from 108 in the west to 75 in the east (Java).
The Bengal monitor can reach 175 cm (69 in) with a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 75 cm (30 in) and a tail of 100 cm (39 in). Males are generally larger than females. Heavy individuals may weigh nearly 7.2 kg (16 lb). Young Bengal monitors are more colourful than adults. Young have a series of dark crossbars on the neck, throat and back. The belly is white, banded with dark... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilpattu National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 2 | Yala National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 3 | Udawalawe National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 4 | Kaziranga National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 5 | Minneriya National Park | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 6 | Keoladeo National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Manas National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 9 | Mudumalai National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 10 | Nagarhole National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 11 | Chitwan National Park | 🇳🇵 Nepal | |
| 12 | Jim Corbett National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 13 | Royal Manas National Park | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | |
| 14 | Ranthambore National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 15 | Bandipur National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nandankanan Zoological Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Arignar Anna Zoological Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Tyavarekoppa Lion and Tiger Safari | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | National Zoological Park Delhi | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 5 | Shenzhen Safari Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 6 | Cologne Zoological Garden | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | Thrissur Zoo | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Cologne Zoo Aquarium | 🇩🇪 Germany |
No species of the same family or order lives in Yala National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
Very likely
About 90% of wildlife watchers report a Bengal Monitor sighting in Yala National Park on a given day, based on 268 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 15 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, March, May and October–November
In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Bengal Monitor in Yala National Park on a given day, against about 80% in February, April, June–September and December, the lowest months. Those are among Yala National Park's wettest months, with about 190 mm of rain a month against 35 mm in June.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bengal Monitor sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Among the best
Of the 15 parks where we can rate Bengal Monitor sightings, Yala National Park ranks 2nd at about 90%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Wilpattu National Park (Sri Lanka, about 90%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Bengal Monitor is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Yala National Park (268 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
