Of monkeys and monitor lizards

After our Underground River experience in Palawan, we headed back to where our boat was waiting so we can go to Sabang for lunch. As we were walking along the park's trail, my attention was captured by the animals I saw.

I first saw this monkey hiding beneath a tree. I zoomed in my camera to get this shot. I also wanted another picture but the moment I came closer, he ran away. I wonder if he found me frightening as I found him interesting. Ha ha!

Nearing the entrance of the park that also served as its exit, I saw another monkey who was up a tree so I snapped a photo of it.

As I wanted to take a better shot of the monkey up the tree, I went closer but not too close as to drive him away. I then just adjusted the zoom of my camera.

And zoomed in again for a closer shot...


So intent was I in making a career out of taking the monkey's photo that I did not notice that the place was also swarming with monitor lizards (bayawak) until a guy who was in the same tour shouted at me, "Watch your leg!"

I shifted my focus away from the monkey and looked down and what I saw made me shriek in alarm for only a foot away from where I was standing was a big monitor lizard.

Utterly surprised, I jumped out of my skin, shrieking at the top of my voice. Funny. My friends were embarrassed at my freaking out they decided to abandon me. "Such friends!" I teasingly told them later as they laughingly told me that while I was freaking out, they absolutely had no desire to be associated with "the lady who's prancing around as if scalded." LOL.

But can you blame me? Just look at this huge monitor lizard who looked ready to devour me!

And just look at its tongue. Yikes! Good thing I was able to run away from it just in the nick of time, huh.