Australian+Monitor+Lizard-+Aleida+Sagastizado

=Perentie (Varanus Giganteus)=
 * [[image:giganteus01.jpg width="297" height="199" caption="Perentie"]] ||

Location and Habitat
The Perentie is the largest monitor lizard or goanna native of Australia, and fourth largest lizard on earth. Perentie are not a common cite on account of their shyness and remoteness of much of there range of human habitation. The distribution of perentie extends from Mt.Isa in the east across the center of the continent to the west coast between Carnarvon and Port Headland. Its distribution goes down to Coober Pedy in the south and Tennant creek in the north. they mainly arid semi-desert and desert regions particularly those with rocky outcrops.Also grasslands, shrub and wooden areas.
 * [[image:giganteus.jpg width="349" height="285" caption="Australia"]] ||

Niche
The lizard can grow up to 8 ft in length although the average length is around 5.5-6.5 ft and weight up to 33 pounds, maximum weight can be over 20 kg. Perentie generally forage for there food, but are also known to wait for small animals to come to them. Pray include insects,reptiles (including there own kind), birds and birds eggs, small mammals, and carrion. Large adults can attack larger pray, like small kangaroos. They are generally active during the warm season, holing up in the burrows from may to august to escape the cold.with there muscular limes and long, sharp claws, Perenties are excellence burrows.The relationship between species and the Perentie is competitive. They are solitary animals, and they tend to get together only to reproduce. The female perenties lays around 6-10 eggs in a burrow, usually beneath a large object such as a boulder. The brightly coloured young hatch around 2-3 months later. Reproduction has only been observed in captivity, so nothing is known about its reproduction in the wild. The egg clutches, comprised of four to twelve eggs, are deposited around October to January, with the eggs showing a remarkable difference in dimensions, a phenomenon for which no explanation is known. Dimensions may vary from 7.5x3.4 cm (3.0x1.3 in) to 10x4.5 cm (3.9x1.8 in), while weight may vary from 43.3 to 60.8 grams (1.53 to 2.14 oz). Most clutches laid so far are infertile, and there have only been four successful breedings documented thus far. Hatchlings are about 18 inches (45 cm) long and weigh around 56 grams (2.0 oz). An interesting fact is Their pattern that provides excellent camouflage and it is quite possible to walk within a metre or so of a large adult without ever being aware of its presence
 * [[image:Baby_Perentie_Small.gif width="165" height="106" caption="Baby Perentie"]] ||

Population Expansion
Perenties are not a common sight in Australia: they are hard to find, and usually evade any human "looker" before the "looker" has a chance to see them. The Perentie could fill the niche of the Komodo Dragon because they have similar niche characteristics. Both animals are carnivores and mostly eat carrion. They both live in grasslands and wooded areas. the komodo dragon is competitive as well as the Perentie. the Perentie and Komodo Dragon don't live far from each other. The Perentie lives in Australia. The Komodo Dragon lives in Indonesia. This makes their habitats similarities.

Work Citied
http://www.redorbit.com/education/reference_library/reptiles/perentie/1834/index.html http://www.australiazoo.com.au/our-animals/amazing-animals/reptiles/?reptile=lizards&animal=perentie http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/crochunter/australiazoo/18perenties.html