The Born Expeditions have begun. Last week, Doc Ferds Recio headed to Palanan, Isabela to start his search for the elusive bitatawa—a recently discovered species of monitor lizard endemic to the Philippines which gained the interest of science experts. The wild veterinarian struggled inside the jungle to look for signs of the lizard's presence. He was close enough to see the bitatawa when it jumped from the tree.
This week, it is a never-say-die attitude for the team and for good reason. A world-renowned biologist joins them to help with the search efforts. Daniel Bennett, known lizard expert, leads the team in looking for the pandan tree, a favorite of the bitatawa. But looking for the perfect tree which the bitatawa had visited was a struggle. After seven hours of trekking, the team still couldn't locate the right tree and the reptile. But when they finally called it a day and returned to the camp site, their attention was caught by a large reptile inside their bathroom. This monitor lizard clinging on the tiled wall shows the distinct yellow markings known to the bitatawa. Could this be the dragon they are searching for?
Meanwhile, the first day of Kiko Rustia's Humpback Saga was a success. After being welcomed by mega pods of dolphins on their first day, the team was able to film whales blowing water through their blowholes. They also saw a humpbacks' dorsal fin—proof that indeed such species are active in the Babuyan Islands . But the mission is more ambitious—to get as close as possible to the humpbacks and film them more intimately. Kiko and the team spot an individual whale and attempt to go near it, but big waves prevent them from doing so.
This Wednesday, June 2, witness how Kiko and the humpback researchers record a number of flukes or the humpbacks' tail which is very essential in the study of humpbacks in the world. The second part of Kiko's expedition also highlights a possible mother and calf humpback duo recorded on video.
Doc Ferds and Kiko get closer to fulfilling their mission as the search for two of the most amazing creatures recorded by science becomes more and more intense. But while the search gets exciting, the struggles that the teams face in the wild become tougher. Kiko's boat stops in the midst of the Pacific's angry waves, while Doc Ferds scours hectares and hectares of virgin rainforest to film the elusive reptile. Will these sacrifices bear fruit in the end?
Find out as the second part of Born to Be Wild Expeditions unfolds this Wednesday, June 2, after Saksi, on GMA-7.