Goanna

They have been blamed by farmers for the death of sheep, though most likely erroneously, as goannas are also eaters of carrion and are attracted to rotting meat.

Most goannas are dark-coloured, with greys, browns, blacks, and greens featuring prominently; however, white is also common.

Camouflage ranges from bands and stripes to splotches, speckles, and circles, and can change as the creature matures, with juveniles sometimes being brighter than adults.

Prey can include all manner of small animals: insects, smaller lizards, snakes, mammals, birds, and eggs.

This includes eggs, fish (V. mertensi), birds, snails, smaller lizards, snakes, marsupials, and other small mammals, such as rodents.

The giant perentie has been observed killing a young kangaroo, and then biting out chunks of flesh like a dog.

All species are carrion eaters, so feed on the carcasses of dead animals, including livestock and other large creatures.

[citation needed] Like most native fauna, goannas are rather wary of human intrusions into their habitat, and most likely run away (into the scrub, up a tree, or into the water, depending on the species).

Goannas also rear up when threatened, either chased or cornered, and also inflate flaps of skin around their throats and emit harsh hissing noises.

European settlers perpetuated several old wives' tales about goanna habits and abilities; some of these have persisted in modern folklore among campers and bushmen.

This might even be exaggerated into child-snatching, rivalling drop bears (attack koalas) as a tourist scarer, but probably more convincing due to the reptiles' carnivorous nature and fearsome appearance.

For many years, herpetologists generally believed goannas were nonvenomous, and lingering illness from their bites was due solely to infection and septicaemia as a result of their saliva being rife with bacteria from carrion and other food sources.

Goanna fat or oil has been anecdotally imbued with mystical healing properties (possibly in connection with their supposed venom immunity).

Said to be a cure-all, and possessing amazing powers of penetration (passing through metal as if it were not there), it was sold among early settlers like snake oil in the Old West of North America.

A goanna features as the heroic figure Mr Lizard in the Australian author May Gibbs’ children's books Snugglepot and Cuddlepie.