Giant Monitor Lizard?
by Murray Byfield
Megalania, also known as the Giant Goanna or Monitor Lizard is an Australian Cryptic reptile. Reportedly to be a relict survivor of the megafuana animal Megalania priscawhich existed 40,000 years ago in mainland Australia. Early Aboriginals would have no doubt encountered this mega creature.
The size of the actual animal by fossil records show a reptile 7 meters (23 ft), with a maximum conservative weight of approximately 1940 kg (4,268 lbs). It was the largest land dwelling lizard to have ever lived.
Megalania has been likened to the Komodo Dragon but it is genetically related to the Perenite a large Goanna found West of the Great Dividing Range. Meglania’s diet would have consisted of large animals and other Mega fauna such as the Diprodoton, reptiles and smaller mammals.
Some Cryptozoologists claim that the Megalania still exists in remote parts of Australia. And sightings have even occurred as recently as the 1990’s in New Guinea as well as Australia.
Cryptozoologist Rex Gilroy believes the reptile still exists and has a plaster he made of the giant reptile in 1979.
