Black Tree Monitor adult female
Varanus beccarii

The Black tree monitor inhabit the Aru Islands of New Guinea, living in an arboreal habitat. Their skin color is completely black, lending the monitor its name.

The Black tree monitor inhabit the Aru Islands of New Guinea, living in an arboreal habitat. Their skin color is completely black, lending the monitor its name. The black tree monitor is generally well adapted for living in trees. Its tail is particularly long, sometimes two-thirds of the overall body length, and is used in a prehensile manner to stabilize the animal in the branches. Black tree monitors are carnivorous, consuming insects, smaller lizards, and small mammals such as shrews. They may also take scorpions, eggs, and nestlings. Black tree Monitors can be temperamental, they will flee if threatened and if handled carelessly will scratch, bite, and defecate on the offender.