Yellow-headed water monitor at Debrecen Zoo – PHOTOS

It is now considered tradition that the Debrecen Zoo unveils an animal exhibit at Night at the Zoo in late August every year. Following their Indian pythons’ introduction to their new holding facility last year, this year’s event featured yet another exotic reptile as visitors got a first peek at a newly acquired yellow-headed water monitor.

Native to Mindanao and nearby small islands, the yellow-headed water monitor (Varanus cumingi), also known as the Philippine or Cuming’s water monitor, is one of the larger monitor lizard species; which, along with a color combination of black and yellow, also makes it one of the most impressive-looking as well.

In the wild, it prowls the shade of trees near water bodies, preying on birds, fish, smaller lizards and rodents or larger crustaceans. Its Latin name is in honor of 19th-century English collector Hugh Cuming – just like the names of several other reptile and plant species native to the Philippines.