Komodo dragon is a mysterious and fascinating animal species. The name alone gets a lot of attention, but there’s more to these animals than just the name.
Check out 10 impressive facts about Komodo dragon.
1. Komodo Dragon is Not A Dragon
Komodo Dragon is indeed a lizard and by far the largest lizard on the planet. These lizards can grow up to 10 feet long (about the length of a small car). They are also heavy, with an average weight of up to 154 pounds, but have also been measured up to 135 kilograms, about the same weight as pandas.
2. Komodo Dragon is Venomous
Komodo is known for their notoriously venomous hunting attacks. It was once thought that the saliva of these lizards contained various types of bacteria that killed their prey. However, this theory has been debunked by the University of Queensland, and it is now believed to secrete toxic proteins similar to those of venomous snakes.
3. They Live on Their Own Island
Komodo dragons live only on her five islands in Indonesia and are absent in other parts of the world. Four of these islands form the so-called Komodo National Park, the fifth being Flores. The main island, home to most of the world’s Komodo dragons, is named after these lizards. It’s called Komodo Island.
Read Also: 7 Fun Facts About Komodo National Park You Should Know Before Visiting
4. Komodo Dragon May Originate in Australia
According to various research publications, including the prestigious Smithsonian journal, there is new fossil evidence suggesting that the Komodo monitor lizard originated in Australia. An international team of scientists has unearthed a number of fossils in eastern Australia that are identical to modern-day Komodo dragons, dating from 300,000 to about 4 million years ago.
5. It has an Excellent Sense of Smell
Like most reptiles, Komodo smell with a forked tongue instead of a nose. They can spot rotting prey from 4 kilometers away. However, their hearing and vision are far from great.
6. Its Tail is as Long as Her Body
Komodo can reach the length of a small car, and their tails play a large role in their length. Not only is her tail as long as the rest of her body, but it’s also strong enough to bring down a deer. The Komodo Dragon wags her tail back and forth as a scare tactic, but she does the same when she herself is startled.
7. Komodo Dragon is Carnivores
This giant lizard is a ruthless carnivore. Being a very aggressive carnivore. They eat everything from big deer to humans to buffalo. They certainly have the power and venom to do so. An interesting fact is that they sometimes eat each other. Of course, large lizards eat young and small lizards. Not only do these giant lizards eat any meat that comes their way, they can eat nearly their entire weight in one sitting.
8. Komodo Can Swim
These reptiles can also swim, as if not yet fully adapted to their large bodies, powerful tails, and venom. They have been spotted swimming like dolly miles off the shores of the five islands where they live. You can easily swim between the five islands. As if that wasn’t enough, Komodo dragons can reach speeds of up to 19 km/h.
9. It’s More to be Researched
Although these dragons have been the focus of research for only a century or so, their fossils predate her by nearly four million years. As mentioned above, until recently, there was debate as to whether they produced toxic proteins or simply carried lethal levels of bacteria. If something as simple as this fact has only recently become known, who knows what else there is to learn about this interesting method?
10. It’s Endangered Species
Komodo Dragons live only on five islands in Indonesia, so its population is very small compared to other reptiles. In addition, existing species populations are threatened by a shortage of spawning females, habitat destruction, and human poaching. Komodo National Park is a very popular tourist destination in Indonesia, and there have been reports that poachers have illegally removed the lizards from the park.
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