Fastest reptile

What to remember

On land, the fastest reptile on record is a large Australian lizard: the perentie, clocked at 40.23 km/h (25.00 mph). It is generally considered the fastest recorded reptile.

The perentie (Varanus giganteus) is one of the largest living lizards, after the Komodo dragon, the Asian water monitor and the crocodile monitor. It lives west of the Great Dividing Range, in the arid parts of Australia, and is rarely seen because it is shy and much of its range lies far from people.

It holds an important place in many Aboriginal cultures, through totemic relationships and as part of the Ngiṉṯaka dreaming. For perspective, the cheetah, the fastest land animal, runs at 93 to 104 km/h.