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Black Tree Monitor

black_tree_monitor_sm.jpg: Black tree monitor
Range: Aru Islands (in Indonesia)
Habitat: Forests
Conservation Status: Not listed by IUCN
Scientific Name: Varanus beccari

A slender, long-limbed body and a long prehensile (grasping) tail help make this small lizard well-suited for a life in the trees. Its tail, which may be twice as long as its body, functions as a fifth "hand" for grasping branches. Other adaptations for climbing include sticky-soled feet and short toes with long, curved claws.