The Komodo Dragon

• English
• Special Education

The Komodo Dragon

Over 3 m long, with extremely sharp claws, huge teeth and a poisonous bite…

Although this may sound like something from a horror film, it is in fact a description of the Komodo dragon. These reptiles are real and they are one of nature’s most incredible creatures.

Komodo dragons have lived on some of Indonesia's islands for thousands of years. 

One story tells that the Komodo dragon was first discovered during WWI (World War One), when an airplane crash landed in the waters around the islands. The story tells how the pilot swam to Komodo Island, where he was surrounded by terrifying, huge lizards. It sounds like something out of an action movie, however the story is actually a myth.

We don’t know exactly when Komodo dragons were first discovered but the earliest stories come from between 1910 and 1912. The existence of the Komodo dragon was confirmed in 1926. This was the year that the explorer W. Douglas Burden led an expedition to Komodo. He was working for the American Museum of Natural History. He returned from his trip with twelve dead specimens and two living komodo dragons.

The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard in the world. Some Komodo dragons can be 3 m long and can weigh more than 130 kg. This means that Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards on Earth. They have long heads with short snouts, scaly skin, short legs, and big, strong tails. The largest dragon

ever found was 3.13 m long and weighed 166 kg!

Komodo dragons are the top predators on the islands where they live.

They will eat nearly anything, including carrion, smaller dragons, wild horses and pigs, large water buffalo and sometimes unlucky humans! Although the Komodo dragon can run briefly at 20 kilometres per hour, the reptiles usually hunt using camouflage and patience. They can spend hours in one place, waiting for their prey. When their unfortunate victim passes, the dragons attack and rip it to pieces.

Komodo dragon saliva has more than fifty types of bacteria. If the prey animal is bitten and escapes, it usually dies of blood poisoning quite quickly. If this happens, the dragons follow and locate the dead or dying animal by using their excellent sense of smell. Many large carnivores, such as tigers, do not eat 25 to 30 per cent of their prey. They leave the stomach, hide, bones, and feet. However, Komodo dragons are less wasteful and leave only about 12 per cent of their prey. They eat bones, feet, fur and skin - they even eat the stomach!

A Komodo dragon can eat 80 per cent of its own body weight. However, when they feel scared or nervous, Komodo dragons can throw up the contents of their stomachs. This makes them lighter so they can escape more easily. There is a population of roughly four thousand Komodo dragons on the island of Komodo and the smaller surrounding islands. However, the species is endangered due to hunting, natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, forest fires and human expansion.

Komodo dragons have always been popular in zoos around the world. Visitors love their huge size and scary reputation. Nevertheless, they are quite rare in zoos because they are vulnerable to infections and parasitic diseases. Despite all that we have discovered about these magnificent creatures in the

last century, we still have a great deal to learn. Who knows what secrets these amazing reptiles will reveal in years to come?

Why is the bite of a Komodo dragon dangerous?

Why might a Komodo dragon vomit?

How do Komodo dragons hunt?

How are Komodo dragons different from other large carnivores?

What happened in 1926?

Name three factors that have made Komodo dragons endangered.

How do Komodo dragons find prey which they have bitten, but which has
escaped?

There are not many Komodo dragons in captivity. Why is this?

How many Komodo dragons did W. Douglas Burden take back to America?

True or false? - Komodo dragons can run quickly for long periods of time.