Komodo Dragon – Largest living
lizards in the world
Komodo dragons are the largest living lizards in the world. They
are identified by their massive size, flat heads, bowed legs and long,
thick tails. The average size of a male Komodo dragon is 8 to 9 feet and about
200 lbs. Females grow to 6 feet (1.8 m). Komodos come in a variety of
colors, including blue, orange, green and gray.
Their skin is rough and
durable, reinforced with bony plates called osteoderms. They have long claws
and a large, muscular tail. Komodos have good vision; they can see objects as
far away as 985 feet (300 m), according to the Smithsonian Zoo. They are also
speedy. They can run briefly up to 13 mph (20 kph) but prefer to hunt by
stealth — waiting for hours until prey cross their path.
Their sense of
smell is their primary food detector, however. Komodo dragons, like snakes, use
their forked tongues to sample the air, and then touch the tongue to the roof
of their mouth, where special organs analyze the airborne molecules. If the
left tongue tip has more concentrated "smell," the dragon knows that
their prey is approaching from the left. Komodos have dual-purpose homes.
To stay warm at night, they make or find burrows to nestle down in. During the
day the same burrow keeps them cool. Komodo dragons are carnivores, meaning
they eat meat. They are such fierce hunters they can eat very large prey, such
as large water buffalo, deer, carrion, pigs and even humans. They will also eat
smaller dragons.
They can eat 80 percent of their body weight in one feeding. Komodo
dragons can reproduce through both sexual and asexual reproduction.
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