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Komodo dragon

Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Sauria
Family:	Varanidae
Genus:	Varanus
Species:	V. komodoensis
Binomial name
*Varanus komodoensis* Ouwens, 1912

The Komodo Dragon, also known as the Komodo Monitor, Komodo Island Monitor, Ora (to the natives of Komodo), or simply Komodo (Varanus komodoensis), is the largest living species of lizard, growing to an average length of 2-3 meters (approximately 6.5-10 feet). It is a member of the monitor lizard family, Varanidae, and only inhabits the islands of Komodo, Rinca (or Rintja), Padar, Flores, Gili Motang, Owadi and Samiin in central Indonesia.

Dragons were first documented by Europeans in 1910. Widespread notoriety came after 1912, in which Peter Ouwens, the director of the Zoological Museum at Bogor, Java, published a paper on the topic. In 1980, Komodo National Park was founded to help protect its limited population.

Physical description

In the wild, large adults tend to weigh around 70 kg (154 lb). Captive specimens often weigh more. The largest verified wild specimen was 3.13 metres (10 feet 3 inches) long and weighed 166 kg (365 lb), including undigested food. Komodo dragons have a tail that is as long as the body, as well as 52 serrated teeth that may be 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) in length. They have red, blood-like saliva, as they bite their own gums when they eat, thus creating an ideal culture for the virulent bacteria that live in their mouths. It also has a long, yellow, snake-like tongue. Males are larger than females, with skin color from dark gray to brick red. Females are more olive green, and have patches of yellow at the throat. The young are much more colorful by comparison, with yellow, green and white banding on a dark background.komodo dragos are about 9 feet for female and 10 feet for male.

Ecology and behavior

Komodo dragons are found exclusively in Indonesia, on the island of Rinca and on several islands of the Lesser Sunda archipelago. They prefer hot and dry places, and typically live in dry open grassland, savanna and tropical forest at low elevation. As poikilotherms, they are most active in the day, although they do exhibit some nocturnal activity. Komodo dragons are largely solitary, coming together only to breed and eat. They are capable of running rapidly in brief sprints, are excellent swimmers, and when young they climb trees proficiently through use of their strong claws. As they grow older, their claws are used primarily as weapons, as their great mass makes climbing impractical for adults.

For shelter, dragons dig holes that can measure from 3-6 feet wide (0.9-1.8 metres wide). Their sense of hearing is not particularly acute, and their visual discrimination (most especially of stationary objects) is poor. They use their tongue to detect taste and smell stimuli (as with many reptiles), which aids navigation in the dark. With the help of a favorable wind, they may be able to detect carrion up to 5 miles (8.5 kilometers) away. These lizards are apex predators, dominating the ecosystems in which they live. komodo dragons are the largest reptiles in the world.by justin rivera

Diet and feeding

Komodo dragons are carnivorous. Although they eat much carrion, studies show that they also hunt live prey with a stealthy approach followed by a sudden short charge, during which they can reach up to 20 km/h (over 12 mph). Komodo dragons have not traditionally been considered venomous, but it has recently been suggested that they may produce a weak venom. In addition to the possible venom, dragons also possess virulent bacteria in their saliva, of which more than 15 strains have been isolated. These bacteria cause septicemia in their victim; if an initial bite does not kill the prey animal and it escapes, it will commonly succumb within a week to the resulting infection. The lizard is able to locate its prey using its keen sense of smell, which can locate a dead or dying animal from a range of up to four miles. The Komodo dragon appears to be immune to its resident bacteria.

Feeding follows a butt fart face way hierarchy - the dominant male eats first, with other dragons eating only when he is finished. Females however do not follow any set hierarchy and eat together. Komodo dragons eat by tearing large chunks of flesh while holding their food down with their forelegs then swallowing it whole. Their loosely articulated jaws and expandable stomachs allow them to eat up to 80 percent of their body weight in one meal.

The fart dragon diet is wide-ranging, and includes invertebrates, other reptiles (including smaller dragons), birds, , monkeys, wild pigs, goats, deer, horses and water buffalos. Occasionally they have been known to consume [[ dozen human deaths have been attributed to dragon bites in the last century, although there are reports of survivors of the resulting septicemia.

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In captivity

Komodo dragons have long been great zoo attractions, where their size and reputation make them popular exhibits. However, they are rare, because they are susceptible to infection and parasitic disease. In addition, they do not readily reproduce.

One particularly interesting fact that has been observed in captive dragons is that many individuals display relatively tame behavior within a short period of time in captivity. Many occurrences are reported where keepers have brought the animals out of their enclosures to interact with zoo visitors, including young children, to no harmful effect. Dragons are also capable of recognizing individual humans. Ruston Hartdegen of the Dallas Zoo reported that their monitors reacted differently when presented with their regular keeper, a more or less familiar keeper, or a completely unfamiliar keeper.

However, even seemingly docile dragons may act unpredictably aggressive. In June 2001, a dragon seriously injured Phil Bronstein - executive editor of the San Francisco Chronicle and then-husband of film actress Sharon Stone - when Bronstein entered its enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo.

Media

Videos of Varanus komodoensis at Disney's Animal Kingdom Template:Multi-video start Template:Multi-video item Template:Multi-video item Template:Multi-video item Template:Multi-video end

References

^ Zipcodezoo.com - Varanus komodoensis URL accessed February 1, 2007.
^ Endangered! Ora URL accessed January 15, 2007.
^ Sedgewick County Zoo information about Varanus Komodoensis URL accessed December 21, 2006.
Facts and Data on the Komodo Dragon URL accessed January 5, 2006.
The official website of Komodo National Park URL accessed February 2, 2007.
^ Burnie, David (2001). Animal. New York, New York: DK Publishing, Inc. p. 420. ISBN 0-7894-7764-5. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
^ Ciofi, Claudia. The Komodo Dragon. Scientific American, March 1999. URL accessed December 21, 2006
Whozoo Komodo Dragon URL accessed December 21, 2006.
Komodo Dragon URL accessed December 21, 2006.
Fry, B. G. (2006). "Early evolution of the venom system in lizards and snakes". Nature. 439: 584–588. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |quotes= ignored (help)
Procter, J. B. 1928. On a living Komodo dragon Varanus komodensis Ouwens, exhibited at the Scientific Meeting, October 23rd, 1928. Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1928:1017-1019.
Lederer, G. 1931. Erkennen wechselwarme Tiere ihren Pfleger? Wochenschr. Aquar.-Terrarienkunde 28: 636-638.
Murphy, J., and Walsh, T., 2006. Dragons and Humans. Herpetological Review, 37: 269-275.
Transcript: Sharon Stone vs. the Komodo Dragon