One of the coolest—and often overlooked—reptiles found in the Philippines. This large, powerful lizard is a close relative of the famous Komodo dragon, but it has its own unique charm and surprising talents. As its name suggests, the marbled water monitor is known for its striking pattern of cream or yellowish markings over dark, almost black skin, giving it a “marbled” appearance that provides excellent camouflage in forested environments.

What sets this water monitor apart from other monitor lizards is its incredible adaptability to water. These lizards are excellent swimmers and are frequently found near rivers, swamps, mangroves, and rice fields. They use their long, muscular tails like rudders and can stay submerged for extended periods—sometimes up to 30 minutes! This makes them stealthy aquatic hunters. Their diet is impressively varied, including fish, frogs, crabs, eggs, birds, and even carrion. Basically, if it moves (or once moved), a marbled water monitor might eat it.

One of the coolest features of the marbled water monitor is its extra-long, forked tongue, which it flicks in and out to “taste” the air. This isn’t just a party trick—it uses this tongue to pick up scent particles and track prey across land or water with remarkable accuracy. Think of it as a super-charged GPS nose. Its sharp claws and strong limbs also make it an agile climber, so don’t be surprised to spot one high up in a tree or lounging on a branch.

Despite their somewhat intimidating look, marbled water monitors are typically shy and avoid humans when possible. But when threatened, they can defend themselves with whipping tail strikes, sharp claws, and even powerful bites. That said, they’re more likely to flee than fight, making them impressive but non-aggressive neighbors in rural and wild areas.

Distribution

Country

Population est.

Status

Year

Comments

Philippines

LC

2021