Varanus komodoensis
The world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon's powerful legs and sharp claws support a massive body, large heavy head, and long tail. Round, brownish-black scales cover its body, and its mouth holds shark-like, razor-sharp teeth, and saliva that contains bacteria which can cause severe infection.
The Komodo dragon occupies an ecological niche left vacant by large predators, putting it at the top of its food chain so no animal from its native islands are safe from attack. This agile climber and swimmer uses its tongue to pick up chemical signals to locate injured prey or carrion, hiding in grass as short as 8 inches to ambush its prey. Komodo dragons lay clutches of around 20-30 eggs one time per year. To avoid predators, the young spend much of their first few years in trees, but move to the ground once they've reached 30 inches in total length. Scientists estimate that 5000 Komodo dragons exist in the wild.
The world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon's powerful legs and sharp claws support a massive body, large heavy head, and long tail. Round, brownish-black scales cover its body, and its mouth holds shark-like, razor-sharp teeth, and saliva that contains bacteria which can cause severe infection.
The Komodo dragon occupies an ecological niche left vacant by large predators, putting it at the top of its food chain so no animal from its native islands are safe from attack. This agile climber and swimmer uses its tongue to pick up chemical signals to locate injured prey or carrion, hiding in grass as short as 8 inches to ambush its prey. Komodo dragons lay clutches of around 20-30 eggs one time per year. To avoid predators, the young spend much of their first few years in trees, but move to the ground once they've reached 30 inches in total length. Scientists estimate that 5000 Komodo dragons exist in the wild.
