Komodo Dragon
Varanus Komodoensis
1. Food Chain & Habitat
- They are carnivores, and they can eat anything from a small rodent to a water buffalo, but they mostly hunt for carrion (SNzoo)
- The young mostly feed on small lizards or insects (SNzoo)
- They both scavenge and hunt for their prey (SNzoo)
- They have no predators, and are cannibalistic (IF)
- A bitten prey will die of the toxin in its saliva if not of the wound (NGeo)
- Its saliva includes more than 50 different types of bacteria (NGeo)
- They live in lower, arid forests and savanna (where the temperature is extremely harsh by human standards) (IF)
- They live in the country of Indonesia (IF)
- They live in these volcanic islands: the Lesser Sunda Islands, which include Komodo, Rintja, Padar, and Flores islands (IF)
- They usually make temporary nests for themselves (Hzoo)
2. Description
- They are reptiles, and their scales have bumps in a lattice-work pattern (WIKI)
- Their scale color ranges from grey, brown, cream, and mottled black and orange (WIKI)
- The average length for males is eight feet (2.5 meters), and can grow up to ten feet (Hzoo)
- The average weight for males is 200 pounds (91 kilograms) (Hzoo)
- Females are usually under eight feet, weighing about 150 pounds (Hzoo)
- They are solitary animals, therefore do not typically communicate, unless they are mating (Hzoo)
- Unusual characteristics:
- Its saliva, which contains 50 different types of bacteria that can cause blood poisoning to a bitten prey (Hzoo), (NGeo)
- Its life span, which can be over 50 years (NGeo)
- The fact that through recent studies, females can reproduce both sexually and asexually (IF)
3. Adaptation
- Adaptations for protection include: long tail, sharp claws, strong jaws, sharp teeth, and rough skin (NGeo)
- Their teeth are serrated and are frequently replaced (SNzoo)
- They have good eye sight, and can see things up to 300 meters away (SNzoo)
- Their speed is surprisingly fast when running, about 14-18 km per hour (Bag)
- They do not migrate to far away places, but between the close islands of Indonesia (KD)
- They do not hibernate because of the warm weathers of their habitat (KD)
- In fights, the males often arch their necks and pop out their throats before they attack (Bag)
- Powerful legs and sharp claws help them with hunting prey (Bag)
- They hunt independently, but can eat together (SNzoo)
- They spot prey by either smelling it, or seeing it (SNzoo)
- Their skin also provides camouflage (WIKI)
4. Reasons For Endangerment
- Habitat loss, from the lowering of sea level in Australia (WIKI)
- Humans hunting them for their skin, claws, etc. (Bag)
- Volcanic activity, forest fires, and loss of prey base (Hzoo)
5. Critical Information
What is currently being done to help?
- Major causes of endangerment are illegal hunting and human settlement (Bag)
- They are hunted and killed for their skins and feet to make novelties (Bag)
- What is currently being done to help:
- Trade is prohibited by CITES (Bag)
- Komodo island is made a national park (Bag)
You can donate funds to:
- National Wildlife Federation <www.nwf.org>
- Durrel Wildlife Conversation Trust <www.durrel.org>