Milky Stork interacting with Malayan Water Monitor

William Ip was at Singapore’s Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on 12th December 2010 when he encountered a Milky Stork (Mycteria cinerea) interacting with a large Malayan Water Monitor (Varanus salvator). Initially both animals were foraging close together peacefully (above).

As the lizard moved, its tail swept the water and forced the aquatic animals to emerge from the mud. The stork moved to the tail end of the lizard where there were more pickings (above). For a while there were no problems but suddenly the lizard swiped its tail very high and lashed against the stork causing fright to the bird. The stork may have accidentally stepped on the lizard’s tail or the lizard may have been extra active with its tail. Whatever it was, things continued peacefully as the lizard moved off to shore and the stork continued feeding (below).