The Biak Tree Monitor (Varanus kordensis), a species endemic to the Biak Islands in Indonesia, is notable for its striking appearance and highly arboreal lifestyle. One of the most distinguishing features of this monitor is its vibrant green coloration, which helps it blend seamlessly into the lush canopy of its tropical rainforest habitat. This cryptic coloration provides excellent camouflage from predators while it forages among the leaves and branches. Biak Tree Monitors are also equipped with long, slender bodies and sharp claws, making them adept climbers. Their prehensile tails are another key adaptation, allowing them to maintain balance and grip as they navigate the dense foliage. As with many tree-dwelling monitors, their arboreal nature enables them to access a range of food sources while avoiding terrestrial threats.

In terms of behavior, the Biak Tree Monitor is a diurnal species, spending its daylight hours actively hunting for food. Its diet primarily consists of insects, small vertebrates like birds and lizards, and occasionally bird eggs, making it an opportunistic predator within its environment. They are known to exhibit highly intelligent foraging behaviors, sometimes ambushing prey from hidden perches in the trees. Despite their relatively small size compared to other monitors, typically reaching around 30 to 36 inches, Biak Tree Monitors are territorial and may show aggression toward rivals during breeding seasons. In captivity, these monitors require large, vertically oriented enclosures with ample branches and foliage to replicate their natural environment, making them a challenging but rewarding species for experienced keepers.