Say "Hi!" to this newly discovered specie Varanus bitatawa

The size of a tall human, the Varanus bitatawa lizard lives in the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It lives in a heavily populated and deforested area but has dodged scientists until now. The area on which this giant lizard lives makes this an “unprecedented surprise”. In 2009, the V. bitatawa was identified as a new species with its DNA, scale pattern, size and peculiar penis.

The team who discovered the giant lizard says that the discovery "adds to the recognition of the Philippines as a global conservation hot spot and a regional superpower of biodiversity,"

Read more about this amazing creature and its discovery on the National Geographic Article.

Text and Photo Source: National Geographic Website