Elusive Negros Forest Dragon and Unidentified Wild Boar (Full Episode) | Born to be Wild
Description:
Aired (February 2, 2025): It’s the hatching season for forest dragons in Negros Occidental. While visiting a mountain in the province, Doc Nielsen Donato spotted both adult male and female forest dragons. He was surprised to find eggs hatching right on the mountain path.
Meanwhile, in Maria Aurora, Aurora, Doc Ferds Recio helped a wounded wild boar with elephant-like skin, though its breed remains unidentified.
Watch the video for the full story!
Description:
Aired (February 2, 2025): It’s the hatching season for forest dragons in Negros Occidental. While visiting a mountain in the province, Doc Nielsen Donato spotted both adult male and female forest dragons. He was surprised to find eggs hatching right on the mountain path.
Meanwhile, in Maria Aurora, Aurora, Doc Ferds Recio helped a wounded wild boar with elephant-like skin, though its breed remains unidentified.
Watch the video for the full story!
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FunTranscript
00:00At last, it's the season where they're hatching, it's hard to see them.
00:12Ah, okay.
00:13See, it's like it's camouflaging.
00:16There.
00:18This is a big one.
00:24And that is their natural defense.
00:31They're really living on the ground.
00:32Yes, they're living.
00:34They don't have eggs?
00:35No.
00:36But why did they hatch there on the road?
00:39Let's see.
00:48We can feel something.
00:51We can notice the deep wound on his head.
00:54So now, our first challenge is to give him sedatives.
01:08Because of his hard skin, the rooster didn't hatch.
01:25In this forest,
01:27a mysterious creature is inhabiting.
01:32It can climb quickly on trees to escape from the enemy.
01:39Its ability to change color is also formidable.
01:46They're really living on the ground.
01:47Yes.
01:49They don't have eggs?
01:50No.
01:51But why did they hatch there on the road?
01:54Here, you can see it hatching there.
02:06The Negros Forest Dragons are mysterious and hard to see.
02:12In fact, I've been trying to document the mysterious dragon for more than 7 years.
02:19They can see the Negros Forest Dragon.
02:22Let's see.
02:24It looks different.
02:25It's reddish.
02:26Its back and the shape of its head are angular.
02:32In 2018, it was the first time that the Negros Forest Dragon was seen on television.
02:40We were able to capture it because of its small body.
02:46Where are the dragons?
02:49In this mountain, the largest Negros Forest Dragon is inhabited.
02:57That's our package that can be documented.
03:01It has been grazing on the mountain for a long time.
03:04The forest guide, Rommel, is in charge of placing the rare birds.
03:12This is the last time we'll go here.
03:15This is the last time we'll go here.
03:18This is how sweaty we are.
03:20But now, finally, it's the season where they hatch.
03:27It's hard to see them.
03:31The Negros Forest Dragon lives in an arboreal tree.
03:36So, it's not easy to find them.
03:42We've been walking for a long time.
03:43We haven't seen anything yet.
03:45But here, Rommel usually sees the Negros Forest Dragons.
03:52After walking for an hour,
03:58Hey, there's one.
04:01Where?
04:03Ah, okay.
04:05It's like it's camouflaging itself.
04:07It took me a long time to spot what Rommel was pointing at.
04:09This is what Rommel was pointing at.
04:11Wow, look at its height.
04:14That's how tall they are.
04:16They're not that tall.
04:19But they're only 6 feet tall.
04:22Wow, look at this.
04:24It's color is orange.
04:26It's almost the same color as the tree.
04:29And it's very close.
04:31Our first adult Negros Forest Dragon.
04:35But it has some bumps.
04:38Maybe it has eggs.
04:40The crest of the Negros Forest Dragon is bigger than the males.
04:47We got a female Gravid Negros Forest Dragon.
04:50Look at this.
04:52Its limbs are long and thin.
04:57And its bottom is lighter in color.
05:05Look at those legs.
05:07It's designed to climb.
05:10To dig.
05:12Look at its teeth.
05:14It's isolated.
05:16These are omnivores.
05:19It eats insects.
05:21And sometimes, it eats vegetation.
05:26The Negros Forest Dragon.
05:28Usually, the spikes are for defense.
05:32Even its tails.
05:34If a predator catches it, it will be cut off.
05:37It's also for defense.
05:39So that the predator can escape.
05:41But if it's cut off,
05:43they have the ability to regenerate their tail.
05:46Which is called autotomy.
05:48We immediately put the Negros Forest Dragon back on the tree.
05:52Maybe that's why it's color is like that.
05:55In the process of changing.
05:58We're so lucky to see an adult Negros Forest Dragon.
06:01But they say there's a bigger one here.
06:04It's twice the size.
06:06So we're gonna let you go.
06:13There.
06:15This is a big one.
06:20The Negros Forest Dragon is a cold-blooded animal.
06:26That's why in the morning,
06:28it's more active.
06:30It's favorite is basking.
06:35They do this to regulate the temperature of their body.
06:42Later.
06:44There, Doc. It's bigger.
06:47We saw a big Negros Forest Dragon on the tree.
06:53There.
06:55This is a big one.
06:56This is a big one.
06:59The Negros Forest Dragon doesn't really grow.
07:02But compared to the ones we've seen before,
07:05it's that big.
07:07This is definitely a big one.
07:09It's like a juvenile iguana.
07:13It can grow up to 30 centimeters,
07:16or the length of a ruler.
07:21Come on, we won't hurt you.
07:23Oh, there.
07:26Oh, my God.
07:28This is so big.
07:30Wow, this is how big it is.
07:34It has slender teeth,
07:37but it doesn't have any claws or claws.
07:45Wow, that's how strong it is.
07:47Just enough to crunch an insect.
07:50And that is their natural defense.
07:54When we saw the Negros Forest Dragon,
07:57our adrenaline went up.
08:00The Negros Endemic Lizard is very unique.
08:04And look at that.
08:06These are the pillars of its hemipenis.
08:11So, definitely, this is a male.
08:15These are the characteristics of lizards.
08:18An adult male forest dragon
08:21would reach about 13 3⁄4 in length.
08:27They use this for balance.
08:30So, it's time to let you go.
08:32Sorry to bother you.
08:34Go, go, go.
08:38The Negros Forest Dragon laid eggs twice in a year.
08:50And Romel is watching its eggs.
08:57It's really buried in the ground.
08:59Yes, it's buried.
09:01That's how they lay their eggs?
09:03Yes.
09:05But why are they here in the middle of the road?
09:07Yes, in the middle of the road.
09:09We've seen them many times in the middle of the road.
09:12It looks like its eggs are elongated.
09:15It looks like it's about to hatch.
09:17Let's take a look.
09:20It looks like it has no eggs.
09:22It means that it has no eggs.
09:25These are the ones that have hatched.
09:27It looks like these are also chicks.
09:33This one hasn't hatched yet.
09:35But there's still no smell.
09:38Herpetologist, or reptile expert, Dr. Arvin Jesmus explains that
09:44Negros Forest Dragons lay eggs in the ground
09:47near the house of this tree.
09:52Habitat decline is still number one.
09:55Most of our lowland forests are almost gone.
10:01The elevation is too high for our intact forests.
10:07It's not hard for Negros Forest Dragons to grow in this forest
10:12because many insects live here.
10:18I've been waiting for a long time for Negros Forest Dragons to be documented.
10:24And at this time, I found male, female, and their eggs.
10:32This is an indication that forest dragons can freely reproduce
10:39despite their proximity to the community.
10:47Go, go, go.
10:58It looks like it's not going to hatch.
11:00It's trying to squeeze its body in the water.
11:05It's trying to lay eggs here and there.
11:09But unlike other bamboo trees,
11:12this one doesn't have a top or bottom.
11:14Its skin is thin and thick.
11:18But unlike other bamboo trees,
11:21this one feels something.
11:23It's deep wound is noticeable.
11:26It's still trying to lay eggs here and there.
11:40Outside the cage,
11:42it looks different and has a wound.
11:52Its species is still being studied until now.
11:56Its skin is white and it looks like it's itching.
12:01The wound on its neck is also noticeable.
12:04What's the problem with pigs?
12:07Usually, our major problem is more on the wound.
12:12Let's take a look.
12:18One of the things I noticed here is that its skin is thick in the eyes.
12:23Here, there's a lichenification.
12:26It's called elephant skin.
12:28This is not normal.
12:30Usually, this happens when there's a chronic infection or parasitic infection.
12:36I immediately noticed the thread that seems to be coming down on its neck.
12:40It's time for the pigs to be fed at Aurora State College of Technology,
12:45School of Agriculture and Aquatic Science.
12:49Once the piglets are fed,
12:52the pigs come closer one by one.
12:57The pigs don't want to be defeated.
13:00They're fighting each other.
13:03The pigs are fighting each other.
13:06The pigs are fighting each other.
13:09They're fighting over food.
13:12The two-week-old piglet is the newest in the group.
13:17There's a scratch on its skin.
13:20It seems like it doesn't want to be defeated by its mother.
13:23It's like a hamster.
13:25It's cute. It looks like a hamster.
13:29It's cute.
13:31The pigs' cage is inside the school.
13:34They say it's a way for the Philippine Warty Pigs to study at Aurora State College of Technology.
13:43The piglets have been in their cage for four months.
13:48They bought it from a hunter or a dog.
13:51The two mothers are in the cage.
13:57According to their studies,
13:5850% of the Philippine Warty Pig population is in their area.
14:05It's in the category of Vulnerable Species.
14:11This is because of the temptation to make food and mix it with domesticated pigs.
14:18At the moment, they're doing genetic conservation on eight pigs.
14:23This is the first step to make a breeding plan for these pigs.
14:32Their wildness is still there.
14:35They're still attacking because they're very territorial and very protective of their companions.
14:41Wild pigs maintain their biodiversity by means of balancing the mountains
14:48where there are a lot of native plants and animals.
14:58I noticed right away that the rope is getting lower on its neck.
15:03The wound is getting deeper.
15:06Our first challenge is to give it sedatives.
15:11Don't be afraid, brother.
15:13Okay, okay, okay.
15:15Let's just hold it.
15:17Just hold it.
15:19Hold it, brother.
15:21Hold it, hold it, hold it.
15:23More, more, more.
15:27Because of its hard skin, the rope didn't work.
15:33I'll choose my rope. Let's change the rope.
15:36Hold it, hold it.
15:38There, there, brother.
15:42Hold it, hold it, hold it.
15:44Hold it, hold it, hold it.
15:46Hold it, hold it, hold it.
15:48Hold it, hold it, hold it.
15:50It didn't work, right?
15:52You saw how hard its skin was earlier.
15:54While the rope is being removed, the pig is getting more aggressive.
15:59This is where I saw its wound getting closer.
16:03Yes, it's really getting closer.
16:06Hold it, hold it.
16:08Hold it, hold it, hold it.
16:10Hold it, hold it.
16:13I gave an antibiotic to treat the infection.
16:17I gave something for the skin parasites.
16:20The antibiotic is long-acting.
16:22And we gave a spray.
16:25So, we saw the wound, right, Doc?
16:27How deep it is.
16:29I think this is the best that we can do.
16:31This is temporarily removed so that the wound can heal quickly.
16:35But this can't be mixed with the prisons that the Philippine Warty Pig is studying.
16:42Next, I examined the pigs there.
16:46For the small pigs, let's give them some medicine.
16:52You saw the lesions on their skin.
16:57There, there.
17:02Come here, come here.
17:13Let's finish the small ones.
17:15For the big ones, we need to catch them.
17:19That's the challenge.
17:21The patenter wants to catch the bigger pigs.
17:24It should be inside.
17:29It's attacking us.
17:31It's attacking us.
17:33Hold it, hold it, hold it.
17:35Hold it, hold it, hold it.
17:38The skin is hard.
17:39The skin is hard.
17:41This pig is almost dead.
17:53Go, go, go. There, there.
17:55Sleep, sleep, sleep.
17:59Hold it, hold it, hold it.
18:01There. Very good, very good, very good.
18:04Our mission was a success.
18:07One by one, we gave them vitamins and purges
18:11that will help strengthen their resistance.
18:15This is their first purge.
18:17At least we were able to do that.
18:19Hopefully, their skin lesions will improve,
18:22their weight will gain,
18:24because we don't know, maybe they also have parasites.
18:25We will help them.
18:34We brought back the cured pig.
18:37Let's just visit the pig we went to yesterday
18:41to remove the bandage on its neck,
18:44to see how it is.
18:46There it is. See, it's happier now.
18:48He looks happier.
18:50He, you know, he looks a lot better.
18:52He doesn't have a bandage on his neck anymore.
18:55He won't smell anymore,
18:57and his wounds will heal.
19:02The previous four pigs that they were able to save
19:07from the pigs,
19:09are now eight.
19:11The Philippine warty pig in Aurora
19:14is one of the endemic breeds of pigs
19:17that can be found in the Philippines.
19:19That's why this study
19:20will be of great help
19:23to get to know it better
19:25and to understand what it is.
19:29And if they are able to breed it again,
19:32they are ready to take it
19:35to the nearby mountains.
19:47Thank you so much for watching Born to be Wild
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