Behavior
V. salvadorii is an arboreal lizard. As such, it can hang onto branches with its rear legs and occasionally use its tail as a prehensile grip. The primary use of the tail, however, is to counterbalance its weight when leaping from one branch to another. The tail may also be used for defense, as captive specimens have attempted to whip their keepers with their tails. This species is occasionally seen in the pet trade, but has earned a reputation of being aggressive and unpredictable. Although they are known to rest and bask in trees, they sleep on the ground or submerged in water.
The monitors will rise up on their hind legs to check their surroundings, a behavior that has also been documented in Gould's monitors (V. gouldii). According to native belief, they will give a warning call if they see crocodiles. In general V. salvadorii avoids human contact, but their bites are capable of causing infection, like the Komodo dragon's. One fatality is reported from a bite in 1983 when a Papuan woman was bitten and later died from an infection.
Read more about this topic: Varanus Salvadorii
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