Adults are olive or yellowish brown above, with irregular darker markings which are generally confluent into broad cross bars; a blackish temporal streak; lower surfaces yellowish, with rather indistinct brown cross bars, which are most distinct on the throat.

[4] The yellow monitor occurs in the flood plains of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.

[2] The yellow monitors thermoregulates by moving between sunny and shady areas, similar to other diurnal lizards.

There is also one report of a yellow monitor lying on a pile of hot ash left by a human-lit fire, seemingly to gain heat from it.

A yellow monitor in a wetland was observed alternating between swimming in a vertical position and floating motionlessly.

[7] The yellow monitor is protected in all range countries except Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bhutan and Bangladesh.