A Palawan water monitor lizard. Photo: iStock

Most people in the Philippines try to keep their distance from a Palawan water monitor lizard, but not veterinarian Evan Antin. In the latest edition of his new Animal Planet show Evan Goes Wild, Antin is filmed chasing after a monitor, grabbing it by the tail and then peering down its neck.

The animal hisses and lunges violently, but Antin has spotted that it needs some help and goes in for a closer look: there is inflammation and an infection around its mouth, which he says is not uncommon among lizards. Not surprisingly, Antin warns his audience not to try this at home.

Native to the Philippines, the monitors can grow to two meters in length and mostly feed on small mammals, insects or other lizards. They are usually found in dense mangrove forests on the island of Palawan in the southwestern Philippines.

American-born Antin will also feature in an episode on the bear-cats of the Philippines, as well as segments that show him swimming with humpback whales. He has been on the road since he was 21 learning about animal species, including stints in Australia and Tanzania.

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