Northern Sierra Madre forest monitor

The Northern Sierra Madre forest monitor, also known locally as bitatawa, baritatawa, and butikaw, is a captivating large lizard endemic to the Philippines. Classified under the genus Varanus, this remarkable creature is a favored target among indigenous groups like the Aeta and Ilongot, who frequently hunt it for sustenance.

This arboreal lizard can reach lengths of over 2 meters and weigh approximately 10 kg. Its striking appearance is characterized by blue-black scales adorned with pale yellow-green spots and a tail that exhibits alternating black and green bands.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the bitatawa is its diet. Unlike most monitor lizards, this species is frugivorous, meaning it primarily consumes fruit, particularly from Pandan palm trees. The bitatawa spends most of its life high in the trees, often over 20 meters above the ground, seldom descending to the forest floor.

Scientifically classified as Varanus bitatawa, this species was only recognized in 2010 by researchers from the University of Kansas. Genetic studies have demonstrated that it is significantly distinct from its closest relative, Gray's monitor (Varanus olivaceus). Varanus bitatawa is found exclusively in the Sierra Madre Forest on the northeastern coast of Luzon in the Philippines.

This lizard shares a close relationship with another fruit-eating monitor, V. olivaceus, but its connection to a third fruit-eating monitor species, V. mabitang, remains unclear due to limited genetic data. These fruit-eating monitors are most closely related to a group of small Indo-Asian monitor lizards, including the tree-dwelling V. prasinus complex and the mangrove monitors of the V. indicus complex. They are more distantly related to other Indo-Asian monitors like V. salvator and even further removed from Indo-Australian monitors, such as the renowned Komodo dragon from Indonesia.