Lost Tapes:Devil Dragon

My tito works at the Phil. Aerospace Dev’t Corp. located in Pasay, way back 1994 or 1995, my uncle brought home a reptile pet. A monitor lizard (Bayawak as it is called in the Filipino language) about five or six months old, I cannot remember how many months that reptile was but as far as I can remember he’s only a few months old. Uncle said an 11-year old boy caught it and sold it to him for P700.

We named him Og-Og. He was only a yard long and about 15 centimeters wide when he was brought home. He has a head similar to a snake, only that its snout is a bit pointed. It can coil its tail and use it as a weapon for self-defense. Brownish and black in color with bright yellow tummy, yellow and white tiny spots on his tail area. It has sharp, long and black claws. It also hisses just like a snake. We feed him chicken heads, chicken feet, rodent and kittens. After 3 more months, he obviously grew 6 centimeters more. He no longer fits in his cage. The cage is made of gauge wire about 1.75mm, just like the one used for bird cages. His urine and manure has very strong acid content. He was able to escape from his cage twice because it was destroyed by the corrosion from the strong acid content in his urine and manure. We are shocked to see him roam on the basement of our house. We placed a plywood in order to cover the doorway so that he will stay in one area. A neighbor made up a catching equipment like the one used to catch stray dogs and we borrowed a spotlight. My uncles joined forces to carefully catch Og-Og and was successfully put in his new metal cage. He needs a new cage since he’s growing bigger and his size is about 30 to 35 centimeters wide and about 6 feet long. His new metal cage has 2-inch holes all over it. This is often used as fences or dividers in some of the houses and yards in Manila.

One night, my lolo was a bit drunk and carefully touched Og-Og’s snout. He said it was silent for a few seconds and all of a sudden bit his thumb. He is startled so he pulled his thumb. He didn’t know that its teeth is pointing inward. So when he pulled out his thumb, blood spurted and a bit of flesh showed. His thumb nail is damaged too and as it healed, it formed a mounted line from the cuticle to the tip. Its teeth’s sharp edges point inward, so if you are bitten, NEVER PULL YOUR FINGER, since his sharp tiny teeth points inward, if you pull your hand or finger, you will just get a deep wound and that would be the tastiest treat for them. 

Until one day, a fellow brought back to our home Og-Og dragging it by its tail. He said the reptile reached the town plaza and when he saw the vehicles, it got scared and hid under the jeepneys, causing traffic. Our house is 3-4 blocks away from the town plaza. The fellow said there are already people who were interested in taking the reptile only that they do not know how to capture it and were frightened by its appearance and size but he clarified that he know the owner of the huge reptile. He was brave enough to drag the large reptile by its tail back to our house. Og-Og was no longer returned in his cage. He was tied and hung - throat cut open, bleeding. He was slaughtered as punishment for the third time he escaped. They peeled off its skin and I can see its muscles are still moving. It has a bit foul stench. They kept some of its skin for some lore said reptile skins are a lucky charm, dunno if its true. They chopped his body parts and cooked well its meat. Even when in the process of cooking, its meat is somehow still moving, beating.

Maybe that’s why he behaved when he was dragged by the fellow who brought him back to us. The fellow said that the reptile was actually tamed when he was dragging it. Maybe he felt he’s gonna be in big trouble. The photos were unfortunately taken to our province, I will ask my lolo to bring the photos in Manila so I could scan them and show it here. He kept the photos of Og-Og as remembrance for the big reptile we had…

Last night on Discovery Channel, Lost Tapes: Devil Dragon. The Devil Dragon, also known as Megalania is described as a huge reptile which is believed to be lurking along the rainforests of Australia. Feeds on flesh and stalks its victim once it has bitten its prey till it weakens. Its saliva is deadly as it contains infectious bacteria that causes Sepsis. Bigger than the deadly Komodo Dragon, which is about 8 to 10 feet long, the Megalania measures about 25 feet long.

Year 2007, Tim Akron, a survivalist, filmed his unfortunate expedition through one of the rainforests of Australia. As a survivor, he did not bring his food, crew and a satellite phone with him. How about in case of emergency where he is in a remote island? While walking, he stumbled upon a pile of human bones. He should have went away upon seeing those human bones. He was starting to gather big leaves to put up his temporary shelter, until his camera was knocked down. If I’m not mistaken, what knocked his camera down is the creature that’s been following him and some parts of the creature were captured by the camera as it passed by. He is supposed to demonstrate an entrapment of some burrowing animals for food. Unluckily, he made a wrong move when he used his bare hands putting some thing in that place that he doesn’t have an idea what’s down there. Then he was bitten by an unseen creature on his forearm. He was wounded. He felt it is going to rain later so he tried to prepare for the night by making a bonfire before he would gather his food. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make a fire and he is getting tired. His wound starts infection. 

It was already dark and raining. He is under a couple of large leaves that served as his roof for that dark, rainy night. While filming, he heard movements and sound of a mixed snarl and hiss behind him as he shouted that it stay away. Next morning, his wound’s infection has spread through his shoulder and has infected his veins as they changed into a dark color. He said the place is humid that he sweats a lot. Is it because of the infection from his wound or is it because rainforests are humid places? He decided to leave the place. He run to seek medical help from a nearby village. As his wound gets further infection and from tiredness, you can see how much his appearance has changed from the first day he stepped into that rainforest. Running for medical help, Tim is obviously lost and can’t find his way out. It’s night again and he is still in the dark rainforest, trying to run for his life. The sound of the snarling-hiss are heard again with fast movements just behind him. It is getting scary as he run away and as the sound and movements follow him. Tim stopped and took a few seconds of rest, leaving his loved ones his last words the moment he felt he is gonna die any moment. As the unidentified creature follows Tim, he ran as fast as he could but Tim could not help tripping; he is tired, hasn’t eaten since his first day and has a badly infected wound. The creature took advantage of Tim’s weakness and dragged him away and started to feast on his flesh… 

SEPSIS - blood infection; can be deadly; initially attacks the heart and lungs, affecting the brain that causes confusion and hallucinations.