<p>Monitor lizards, some of the largest and most ecologically diverse lizards, have traditionally received little attention in comparative cognition research. Although emerging anecdotal and experimental evidence suggests that some monitors may possess relatively advanced cognitive abilities compared to other lizards, this evidence remains limited and inconclusive. This article adopts a theoretical approach, working backwards to ask: if monitors do indeed exhibit more sophisticated cognitive traits, what ecological factors might have driven this divergence? Drawing on the ecological intelligence hypothesis, I propose that two ecological pressures—expanded home range size and increased habitat generalism—could have played key roles in shaping varanid cognition. Larger home ranges may have favored advanced spatial memory and navigation, while generalism will be proposed as a derived trait in early Varanidae that drove behavioral flexibility and problem-solving capacities—capacities that may have been retained to some degree or lost as some monitor species possibly underwent secondary specialization. In contrast, other toxicoferan lizards occupying stable, resource-rich habitats likely experienced weaker selection for such traits. By articulating these theoretical links, this article aims to guide future empirical research on the evolutionary shaping of cognition in monitor lizards.</p>