Wild life

The "Water Monitor", Varanus sp., is the largest lizard found in the Philippines, growing up to 2-1/2 meters, and is a cousin of the Komodo Dragon. It is locally known as "bayawak" and is sometimes called a "chicken lizard" because it may feed on chicken eggs or chicks. Monitors are opportunistic feeders and scavengers and eat a variety of small animals, insects, fish, molluscs and carrion. As their name implies, they prefer living near fresh or salt- water bodies and are good swimmers and common throughout the Philippines.

This eagle was initially known as the Monkey-eating Eagle because it was believed to only feed on monkeys; this has proved to be inaccurate. The Philippine Eagle's prey varies from island to island as available species vary, especially between Luzon and Mindanao. The Philippine Eagles prefer flying lemurs, but they also occasionally eat other small mammals, reptiles and birds, such as snakes, monitor lizards, hornbills, owls, and even other birds of prey.