Golden Monitor Lizard (Varanus flavescens) belongs to the Squamata Order and Varanidae Family. It is native to Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Myanmar in the world. It is found in terai protected areas and their nearby forest areas of Nepal. The lifespan of a golden monitor lizard is 15 to 20 years. Its body colour is dark brown in the upper side and yellow in the lower side. The shape of the body is long with tipped tail and oblique slit nostril. Its length is 0.45 m and weight is about 4 to 5 kg. The characteristic feature of golden monitor lizard is that it lives in forests near water sources. It lays about 8 to 30 eggs according to its size. The weight of an egg is 11.4 grams. The incubation period is about 8 to 9 month. It is listed as an endangered species in the IUCN Red List category and Appendix I of CITES. The legal status of this species in Nepal is Protected (Appendix I) under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973. It is protected because of its heavy habitat loss and poaching. It is traded in national and international markets due to its skin.
Reference
http://dnpwc.gov.np/media/publication/CITES_Book_DNPWC_2018.pdf
