Water monitors are actually the most peaceful lizards. I’ve seen them in the wild, they will usually run away from you, but occasionally a few have approached me in a curious way, and then just walked away. They are smart, they can gauge the size of a human who is 6 or 7 times heavier then then heaviest water monitors (35 pounds) they will only attack a human if they feel cornered a
Wild water monitors are still quite common around Singapore, especially in forested areas. Never had any problems with them when I come across them. But they do give me the chills just looking at them. Some are really massive. But they go about minding their own business anyway, humans are definitely not their interest.
Monitors do not have bacteria, but a mild venom that acts more as an anti-coagulant, which lets the prey bleed out faster. That particular water monitor is very much used to people, and quite friendly. I bet the locals feed it and interact with it often. Monitor bites ARE very bad indeed, but they’re just like dogs and cats; they’ll tell you before they bite you. Read the body language (arched back, puffed throat, hissing, tail whipping, gaping). I’ve gotten bitten by my Nile, Mangrove, and Peach Throat. No immediate infections occurred lol.
The licking his lips thing is NOT thinking that the guy is dinner. They do that a LOT after they eat something. It's a way of making sure they didn't miss any morsels and a way to clean up their mouth.
@@jay8980 I guess a "degree in zoology" doesn't go very far when a very relaxed Water Monitor walks up to him calmly. everything about it's posture screamed that it was completely comfortable around humans. they usually puff up their bodies and ready their tail if they are gonna try something out of self defense. that monitor was curious and wanting hand outs considering it walked up to the man, ate what was on the ground there and looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. if the Monitor wanted to chew on him or tell him to fuck off, you would be able to clearly tell.
The water monitor is not dangerous if you leave them alone. There are many water monitors in Thailand and Malaysia, living close to (and sometimes within) urban areas, walking by people and for the most part, ignored by people. These lizards are accustomed to people. so long as you keep your distance from them then they will keep a distance from you.
my friend just got a second water monitor there very tameable and not naturally aggressive. if that monitor wanted to hurt you, it would have but it never did. that was a tame looking animal.
Once, when I was a greenthumb at birdwatching, I accidentally cornered a water monitor. It was hissing and spitting, but didn't attack. I was confused as I didn't know why it wasn't retreating. As soon as I moved a little, it dived past me into its burrow, the access to which I had inadvertently cut off. They are amazing creatures and I have a huge soft spot for them.
He is really cute but still a wild animal and one you shouldn't mess with. If he was tame to the point that you can touch him, cuddle him and I mean tame tame you still have to be wary of his mouth ahah.
it's domesticated is why, but in the wild, very dangerous there's no fooling around with them, lucky for this guys this monitor lizard was curious and was just having a look, if it wanted to it could have done some serious damage
+kenneth sanchez yea he kinda does, but it's the wild you always wanna be cautious around them cause they can be very unexpected, and have a brown roughest monitor my self, and he's very tame reptiles can be really chill and tame if given enough time, maybe even this guy was probably a tame Wild monitor who knows, but since it's the wild Hes just taking precautions
Just saw one in Sandakan, E Borneo, coming straight out of the water to the shore. There were many people. Nobody cared about it, the lizard didn't mind the people. They are dangerous only if you mess with them. Otherwise, they'll just go by. We also have big land monitors in our garden. Pretty shy creatures.
Here, in Thailand, these water Monitors are so common to be seen. I have had very close encounters with them, especially once I had almost stepped on one accidentally when it was perfectly camouflaged in a green belt near the pedestrian walkway. But honestly, they don't pose any threat or cause any sort of trouble at all, if you just mind your business. Some food vendors pet them by giving them the food waste. Nature is peaceful and beautiful!
BBC Earth could have went to Lumphini Park in Bangkok and save money, as these monitor lizards are everywhere in the park coexisting with people going by their days.
Love Steve when he gets this close to the animals . Lol. He was lucky he wasn't totally off guard. If he flinched alot harder the monitor lizard probably would've bitten him in defence . It could've thought that that flinch was him trying to punch it. But still . I don't think no one's gonna get that same experience in the wild .
I had a four-week diving holiday on Mabil Island off the east coast of Borneo. Monitor lizards were everywhere, just living peacefully alongside the human population. Nobody bothered them or worried about them, although I saw young children playng with them from time to time. In fact they acted as scavangers, cleaning up anything edible that humans left lying around. My impression was that they become very domesticated alongside human populations if the people aren't aggresive. The Mabul "water gypsies" welcome them as another tourist attraction to go with the wonderful underwater life in the surrounding sea.
That monitor is probably someone's pet. These smart lizards get used to people and are usually friendly especially when they are large. Way to make it look dramatic though :).
@@brianpartlow5530 in my country, especially rural areas, they would actively hunt these creatures as they kill livestock and pets. I remember my 70-80 year old grandma shot one of them with a freaking shotgun.
BlueUncia venom, not bacteria. I'm not an expert but it sounded like the venom was only covering the teeth of the lizard, so while it's a bit unhygienic, as long as it didn't bite him he'd be ok.
@@FirstnameLastname-bv8ke Even water monitors have venom, it just isn't strong enough to do serious damage to something as large as a person. Whether or not it's possible to have a bad reaction to it, I couldn't say, but generally the bacteria is the thing to worry about. Here's a fun fact; even we have venom glands in our mouths. They think it's primarily used to kill harmful bacteria when we swallow under stress, but still.
For those that don't believe it, in central Thailand the water monitors do get to be huge if they avoid being roadkill long enough to attain a ripe old age. I've lived there for 5 years and have seen a couple of very big examples inhabiting roadside ditches and marshes. I've also been to Komodo Island so I know how big the dragons get there for comparison and I would say the biggest water monitors in Thailand come very close in size.
巨人の肩 I think he meant they look like living dinosaurs . Never said they are . Birds may be the closest genetically to dinosaurs. But crocodiles 🐊 and lizards 🦎 look more like a dinosaurs .
I searched, and watched this video because I discovered just a few minutes ago that I have this guy as neighbour. He was not upset in the least on seeing me and slowly walked away minding his own business. I already had noticed a tunnel burrowed by something that is bigger than a rat.
They lay eggs at my garden wall in the bamboo tree roots. They are very nervous and run away when approached! At nearly 2m length and very sharp talons--not to be messed with! They eat anything--so they keep the Klongs pretty clean!
Your eye is surrounded by mucous membranes, almost like having an open wound. I wonder if the "eye lick" gave Steve an eye infection from those bacteria in the monitor lizard's mouth?
I really hate scare videos like this. People keep monitor lizards like that one as pets and they are puppy tame. These arent the monsters this man makes them out to be.It's true, if that monitor wanted to he could have done some damage, but, monitors are intelligent, and that one knew he wasn't food. Far more likely, the monitor was just curious and decided to get closer to investigate the strange smells coming off of steve.
The worse thing is making wild animals out to be tame puppies and then people who do not have any experience handling or interacting with them get themselves hurt by scaring them etc. Just because I can pet and play with my dog and not worry about it doesn't mean I can go be friendly with any random wolf in a mountain range and expect it to be friendly. Yes, the monitor was just curious and Steve has the discipline not to startle it when it's so near him, somebody else making sudden movements might get a bite.
I agree that they can be quite affectionate. I kinda want one myself but I'd have a hard time affording to keep one heated and fed. But this one is wild, and they have been known to be territorial in the wild. Dogs make great pets too but there's no predicting what a stray will do.
Komodo dragons and water monitors are both members of the family varanidae. While their mouths are far from clean, it's been discovered that they actually have venom.
Water monitors are actually the most peaceful lizards. I’ve seen them in the wild, they will usually run away from you, but occasionally a few have approached me in a curious way, and then just walked away. They are smart, they can gauge the size of a human who is 6 or 7 times heavier then then heaviest water monitors (35 pounds) they will only attack a human if they feel cornered a
I've seen them attack on 100% their initiative but that was on the outskirts of villages.
"Hello hooman! I have found food here, do u have more? No? Can I make u food? No? Kay byes."
Lol
🤣🤣🤣
What’s wrong with you
average pyro fan
Wild water monitors are still quite common around Singapore, especially in forested areas. Never had any problems with them when I come across them. But they do give me the chills just looking at them. Some are really massive. But they go about minding their own business anyway, humans are definitely not their interest.
Nobody cares. 🖕 Singapore.
@@S.Hy3nAM5n0fGod singapore gets way more bitches than u bro stay mad
@@S.Hy3nAM5n0fGod Shut the fuck up you rat
@@S.Hy3nAM5n0fGod why are yo so mean
@@chazer7022 because he is a philippino
Monitors do not have bacteria, but a mild venom that acts more as an anti-coagulant, which lets the prey bleed out faster. That particular water monitor is very much used to people, and quite friendly. I bet the locals feed it and interact with it often.
Monitor bites ARE very bad indeed, but they’re just like dogs and cats; they’ll tell you before they bite you. Read the body language (arched back, puffed throat, hissing, tail whipping, gaping). I’ve gotten bitten by my Nile, Mangrove, and Peach Throat. No immediate infections occurred lol.
> _"arched back, puffed throat, hissing, tail whipping, gaping"_
what is gaping?
@@yash1152mouth held wide open ( gaping or agape) usually combined with neck puffing.
This is what I call an "eye contact".
I know it's been seven years but sorry sir... you're fired.
Licking interviewers eye? NO THANK YOU
Narrator: "This is a dangerous, bloodthirsty predator."
Lizard: *Mlem*
id say that to a tokay gecko, those things are rage incarnate and are only alive out of pure spite
The licking his lips thing is NOT thinking that the guy is dinner. They do that a LOT after they eat something. It's a way of making sure they didn't miss any morsels and a way to clean up their mouth.
are you actually trying to tell someone with a degree in zoology about animal behavior?
@@jay8980 I've kept monitor lizards for nearly a decade and also worked in herpetology for undergrad and grad school. Nice try though.
I don't think Steve was being serious about the licking lips comment
@@jay8980 I guess a "degree in zoology" doesn't go very far when a very relaxed Water Monitor walks up to him calmly. everything about it's posture screamed that it was completely comfortable around humans. they usually puff up their bodies and ready their tail if they are gonna try something out of self defense. that monitor was curious and wanting hand outs considering it walked up to the man, ate what was on the ground there and looked up at him with puppy dog eyes. if the Monitor wanted to chew on him or tell him to fuck off, you would be able to clearly tell.
As someone who keeps monitor lizards I can say this is my life
If he was truly that scared he wouldn't have gotten that close.
The water monitor is not dangerous if you leave them alone. There are many water monitors in Thailand and Malaysia, living close to (and sometimes within) urban areas, walking by people and for the most part, ignored by people. These lizards are accustomed to people. so long as you keep your distance from them then they will keep a distance from you.
I've seen them attack on 100% their initiative.
love Steve! he made me love all kinds of animals even the ones i fear!
Samyah mh i love all animals. Especially the dangerous ones. Not because they are dangerous. But because they are extremely misunderstood.
my friend just got a second water monitor there very tameable and not naturally aggressive. if that monitor wanted to hurt you, it would have but it never did. that was a tame looking animal.
I love it how those lizards walk like bodybuilders haha, the swagger they have is top notch.
He's talking about this thing like it's a vicious killing machine and it just calmly walks up to him and gives him a lil kiss
Erm theyre vicious killing machines to the animals they're hunting, and even still to things he sees as a threat.
Once, when I was a greenthumb at birdwatching, I accidentally cornered a water monitor. It was hissing and spitting, but didn't attack. I was confused as I didn't know why it wasn't retreating. As soon as I moved a little, it dived past me into its burrow, the access to which I had inadvertently cut off. They are amazing creatures and I have a huge soft spot for them.
Might have had eggs in the burrow, that's the only thing I can think of about the aggression.
That's so cute
you dont know it is themost harmful lizard in world
He is really cute but still a wild animal and one you shouldn't mess with. If he was tame to the point that you can touch him, cuddle him and I mean tame tame you still have to be wary of his mouth ahah.
He baited it. at 1:32 he picks something up and eats it.
Brave man, how many people in the world can say they've had their eyeball licked by a water monitor?!
"You thought you were off the menu aye" said the Monitor Lizard
Water monitor are not that aggressive I have 4 full grown living in my house
it's domesticated is why, but in the wild, very dangerous there's no fooling around with them, lucky for this guys this monitor lizard was curious and was just having a look, if it wanted to it could have done some serious damage
He makes them sound so dangerous why doesn't he says there are tame ones and very friendly that's why people think reptiles are horrible
+kenneth sanchez yea he kinda does, but it's the wild you always wanna be cautious around them cause they can be very unexpected, and have a brown roughest monitor my self, and he's very tame reptiles can be really chill and tame if given enough time, maybe even this guy was probably a tame Wild monitor who knows, but since it's the wild Hes just taking precautions
+kenneth sanchez *brown rough neck
uNa1 Official PuBstomping true
luckily it wasn't komod dragon
Bon Korcher imagine the infection he’d receive if that licked him eye.
Its was his twin komodo dragon and monitor lizard
Just saw one in Sandakan, E Borneo, coming straight out of the water to the shore. There were many people. Nobody cared about it, the lizard didn't mind the people. They are dangerous only if you mess with them. Otherwise, they'll just go by. We also have big land monitors in our garden. Pretty shy creatures.
The lizard's just concerned, his eyes are getting a bit dry..
Oooh he's tasting my hand.. let's wave my fingers in front of his muzzle
Here, in Thailand, these water Monitors are so common to be seen. I have had very close encounters with them, especially once I had almost stepped on one accidentally when it was perfectly camouflaged in a green belt near the pedestrian walkway.
But honestly, they don't pose any threat or cause any sort of trouble at all, if you just mind your business. Some food vendors pet them by giving them the food waste. Nature is peaceful and beautiful!
say something like that for the tokay gecko, i dare you
I have seen them swimming in the pool, and terrorizing Samoyed dog and younger me
*lies down right in the lizard's face*
_"The weapons it possess are so vicious!"_
BBC Earth could have went to Lumphini Park in Bangkok and save money, as these monitor lizards are everywhere in the park coexisting with people going by their days.
Love Steve when he gets this close to the animals . Lol. He was lucky he wasn't totally off guard. If he flinched alot harder the monitor lizard probably would've bitten him in defence . It could've thought that that flinch was him trying to punch it. But still . I don't think no one's gonna get that same experience in the wild .
Lizard: THIS TASTE IS THE TASTE OF A LIAR
I had a four-week diving holiday on Mabil Island off the east coast of Borneo. Monitor lizards were everywhere, just living peacefully alongside the human population. Nobody bothered them or worried about them, although I saw young children playng with them from time to time. In fact they acted as scavangers, cleaning up anything edible that humans left lying around. My impression was that they become very domesticated alongside human populations if the people aren't aggresive. The Mabul "water gypsies" welcome them as another tourist attraction to go with the wonderful underwater life in the surrounding sea.
Can't be that dangerous if my cousin's had them growing up
That monitor is probably someone's pet. These smart lizards get used to people and are usually friendly especially when they are large. Way to make it look dramatic though :).
And if he wasn't a pet? tame ones are okay but you still have to be wary.
water monitor; *licks eye* nah your not tasty
steve: he licked my eye he might want to eat meh
water monitor: CAN YOU NOT SPEAT WATER MONILISH
me: XD
Bennet Anstee lol
Its Steve Irwin's buffer twin, Steve!
thats probably not even a wild monitor lol
Why do you say that? Have you never seen one live?
it's what they _do._
He was chunky and not afraid of people. They were near houses, village pet maybe.
@@brianpartlow5530 in my country, especially rural areas, they would actively hunt these creatures as they kill livestock and pets. I remember my 70-80 year old grandma shot one of them with a freaking shotgun.
When a 65 million year old species confronts a 7 million year old species, the kid needs to give ground.
*Hamster screams* - whenever one sees this lizard's genus.
Water monitors are just a small version of a Komodo dragon
VoidingThanos much different attitude. A komodo would have taken a bite.
No komodos are just big monitors
What have you done Maharashtra
New record
You forgot to place sun glasses and a cigarette on the lizard
So its mouth is full of bacteria, and it just licked the guy's eyeball. Is that about right?
BlueUncia venom, not bacteria. I'm not an expert but it sounded like the venom was only covering the teeth of the lizard, so while it's a bit unhygienic, as long as it didn't bite him he'd be ok.
@@FirstnameLastname-bv8ke Even water monitors have venom, it just isn't strong enough to do serious damage to something as large as a person. Whether or not it's possible to have a bad reaction to it, I couldn't say, but generally the bacteria is the thing to worry about.
Here's a fun fact; even we have venom glands in our mouths. They think it's primarily used to kill harmful bacteria when we swallow under stress, but still.
@@brettperry3737 whats the venom gland in the human body called?
@@Luceds can they not have both?
@Simon de Montfort venom in the sense that it destroys bacteria, a living organism.
I've had water monitors for a long time the are they are one of the smartest monitors out there, some people just put bad reps on them
After watching this video I wanted a water monitor as a pet badly. So I threw my tv in our pool
That's a nice dog what breed is it
Didn't realise I was holding my breath at the end there lol
he's so cute
I LOVE THIS GUY! NEVER A DULL MOMENT!
It's funny cause it looks like the moniter is trying to mimic his stance when he backed his head away. Lol
It's like "Hey, whatcha doin?"
The monitor lizard is like your not that tasty
For those that don't believe it, in central Thailand the water monitors do get to be huge if they avoid being roadkill long enough to attain a ripe old age. I've lived there for 5 years and have seen a couple of very big examples inhabiting roadside ditches and marshes. I've also been to Komodo Island so I know how big the dragons get there for comparison and I would say the biggest water monitors in Thailand come very close in size.
You are A Brave Brave Man
It just looked curious to me.
Wasn't trying to puff itself up and look scary, just curious as to why this particular human is behaving so strangely.
Love these lizards. Want to get an ackie soon
Hes like breh , y got food?
birds are living dinosaurs,
all other reptiles are not
巨人の肩 I think he meant they look like living dinosaurs . Never said they are . Birds may be the closest genetically to dinosaurs. But crocodiles 🐊 and lizards 🦎 look more like a dinosaurs .
Steve... You very intelligent...
The shock in his voice his tongue was in his eye
Lel I thought monitor as in computer monitor
+Kuriosity Kills
High definition monitor lizards
this lizard can display in 4K
I searched, and watched this video because I discovered just a few minutes ago that I have this guy as neighbour. He was not upset in the least on seeing me and slowly walked away minding his own business. I already had noticed a tunnel burrowed by something that is bigger than a rat.
They lay eggs at my garden wall in the bamboo tree roots. They are very nervous and run away when approached! At nearly 2m length and very sharp talons--not to be messed with! They eat anything--so they keep the Klongs pretty clean!
Brilliant! I love this!
Your eye is surrounded by mucous membranes, almost like having an open wound. I wonder if the "eye lick" gave Steve an eye infection from those bacteria in the monitor lizard's mouth?
Steve got balls of steel.
that's when you'd want to have a piece of steak with you to feed them, instead of your fingers
I really hate scare videos like this. People keep monitor lizards like that one as pets and they are puppy tame. These arent the monsters this man makes them out to be.It's true, if that monitor wanted to he could have done some damage, but, monitors are intelligent, and that one knew he wasn't food. Far more likely, the monitor was just curious and decided to get closer to investigate the strange smells coming off of steve.
The worse thing is making wild animals out to be tame puppies and then people who do not have any experience handling or interacting with them get themselves hurt by scaring them etc. Just because I can pet and play with my dog and not worry about it doesn't mean I can go be friendly with any random wolf in a mountain range and expect it to be friendly. Yes, the monitor was just curious and Steve has the discipline not to startle it when it's so near him, somebody else making sudden movements might get a bite.
I agree that they can be quite affectionate. I kinda want one myself but I'd have a hard time affording to keep one heated and fed. But this one is wild, and they have been known to be territorial in the wild. Dogs make great pets too but there's no predicting what a stray will do.
That monitor was probably a village pet. Wild monitors would avoid people. He was chunky and well fed.
He was just monitoring the situation
Recorded horizontally😀👍
what a thriller story
balls of steel
Beautifull animal
Hahaha seems it likes you, Steve! 😁
How could any animal hate Steve :-)
He licks you to tell you that he wants to be fed.
you are being closely monitored
This boi got so scared when it started licking him
This one was obviously someone's pet.
How many more "Steve's" can we kill by putting them in dangerous situations with animals? :x We already lost the best one in 06.
they're very cute actually
Meanwhile here in the philippines my dad just wrestling them hahahhaha
A wild Mark Zuckerberg in natural habitat
Steve is also buffed btw :)
Showed your video to my 85cm Savannah.She shot up to top of her 2meter enclosure.Your fear is justified.
Big deal, I passed a living dinosaur the other day that's chalk full of deadly bacteria. It was a pigeon.
...Deadly talons. :P
*Steve has pinkeye in the next clip*
lol nice set up
Yep The Komodo Is Way Aggressive
hahahah good one!
Komodo dragons and water monitors are both members of the family varanidae.
While their mouths are far from clean, it's been discovered that they actually have venom.
Yes.Water monitor is a different,but closely related species to a komodo dragon.
I came here after playing Planet Zoo. Just want to know more about monitor lizard.
the bacteria on the lizards mouth could infect his eye quite bad.
I caught a monitor lizard when i was a small child in Bacolod and held it in my hands. it was very calm and docile. i never was afraid. i let it go
How does that make me a pervert? lol I simply know a lot about Monitor Lizards
That man has balls! lo
Monitor lizards are living dinosaur
This is for jon andreas we don't nomally hve water monitor it's only in indonesia and malaysia
These monitor lizard are very common in our area..
monitor lizard not dangerous..there are many of them behind my house
@why , and where do you live?
@@S.F157 Brazil
any bite from a monitor lizard is very serious, proceed to feed the thing an stand 10cm from it........kay.
i love monitors!
wtf steve get so close from snakes spiders monitors sharks ..... that's so brave -.-