Monarch Sands Beach Resorts Animals

At Monarch Sands Beach Resort, you will find several animals native to the Philippines. We have one old watch dog, Blackie (he's brown) Several lizards and a monkey named Coco. Below is some information on the local animals. While the monkeys are generally friendly. They are very clever and continue to find ways to get out of their cage. You may see them at any place and at any time around our resort.

OUR DOGS

Mixed breed; not sure of age, breed, intelligence doubted. FRIENDLY!

The Lizards

Varanus - The Monitor Lizard

The "Water Monitor", Varanus sp., is the largest lizard found in the Philippines, growing up to 2-1/2 meters, and is a cousin of the Komodo Dragon. It is locally known as "bayawak" and is sometimes called a "chicken lizard" because it may feed on chicken eggs or chicks. Monitors are opportunistic feeders and scavengers and eat a variety of small animals, insects, fish, molluscs and carrion. As their name implies, they prefer living near fresh or salt- water bodies and are good swimmers.

Varanid lizards are widely distributed throughout the Philippines with at least two species: V. olivaceus (Gray's Monitor) and V. salvator, (Water Monitor) with several subspecies. Although fairly common, monitors are at risk due to habitat destruction and unregulated hunting.

The top photo is of the nominate Varanus salvator salvator or water monitor. This lizard is so beautiful and so close to extinction yet no one seems to care. It has been hunted for skins and to this day - even with a government ban on reptile exports - the lizard is still obtained for leather manufacturers in Asia and Europe.

The interesting thing about the monitor lizards in the Philippines is that there are species of monitors living on one island that are totally different from those on the neighboring island. Panay/Negros/Cebu have V. s. nuchalis. Mindoro/Luzon have V. s. marmoratus. Masbate/Ticao have a dark form V. s. nuchalis. Samar/Leyte/Bohol have a dark form V. s. cumingi . Luzon has V. olivaceous. Mindanao has the king - V. s. cumingi. All these island are so close and monitors can easily swim and populate/colonize/mix but they don't. The endemism is awe inspring yet so fragile.

OUR MONKEY

ORDER—PRIMATES
FAMILY—Cercopithecidae

COMMON NAME: Long-tailed Macaque.

DISTRIBUTION: Burma to Timor; throughout the Philippines

HABITAT: Agricultural areas near forest, second growth, secondary forest, and primary forest from sea level to at least 1800 m in lowland and mountain forest

STATUS: Widespread in Asia. In the Philippines, locally common to uncommon and hunted heavily.

Visit http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/long-tailed_macaque/behav to learn more about our monkeys.

HERMIT CRABS

Hermit crab, a crustacean distinguished from true crabs by its long, soft, spirally coiled abdomen terminating in an asymmetrically hooked tail. Most hermit crabs protect this vulnerable portion of their bodies by occupying the empty shells of periwinkles, whelks, and other gastropod mollusks. A few find other homes; for example, a species that inhabits the Indian Ocean lives in sections of old bamboo cane. When the hermit crab grows out of one shell it seeks a larger one, fighting for it if challenged. Sea anemones often attach themselves to these shells, obtaining free transportation and scraps of food in return for protecting their hosts. Hermit crabs are common beach scavengers in most parts of the world. Most species are marine, but some tropical forms, such as the robber crab, Birgus latro, are largely terrestrial. This species, the largest hermit crab, generally reaches over 1 ft (30 cm) in length. It becomes increasingly terrestrial and develops heavy armor as it matures into an adult, at which stage it is able to completely discard its adopted shell. With its great pincers the robber crab has been known to crack coconuts, which it obtains by climbing palm trees. Hermit crabs are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, subphylum Crustacea, order Decapoda.