Scientific name : Tupinambis sp.
Family : Teiidae
Native to : Central and South America
Interesting fact : They are popular as food and pets.
Conservation status : Least Concern
These muscular lizards look like monitor lizards. They flick their forked tongues in the air to sense predators. They are black and white with bands around their tails. They feed on plants, rodents, insects, amphibians, birds and lizards’ eggs. These land dwellers can swim and remain submerged in water. Average life span in captivity is 15 to 20 years.
