Goannas are large monitor lizards in which Australia has 20 of the 30 species found worldwide. One of the most common species of Goanna in Australia is the sand monitor. They are generally more active in cooler weather and can grow to 65.5 cm. They have long necks with loose skin under the throat, which sags in some species giving the neck a larger appearance that the head. It also has a snake-like tongue it flickers in and out, extremely sharp claws, long digits and a long tail.
Goannas live under the earth digging their own tunnels and burrows unless one can be found nearby. They will take refuge in hollowed out trees on occasion and fill any spot they see as a good source of protection or generally a cool shady area. They breed in the wet season with, on average, 3 to 11 eggs per nest. The eggs hatch in 165 days, which usually yields into the late summer. The Goanna is a carnivore and will forage for his prey eating anything from insects to small mammals. They are related to the Komodo Dragon.