What is the average size of a Komodo dragon?
Komodo Dragon Description Komodo Dragons grow to an average length of 2 – 3 metres (6.5 – 10 feet) and weigh around 70 kilograms (154 pounds). Captive komodo dragons may often weigh more, as much as 166 kilograms (365 pounds). Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards on Earth.
Are Komodo dragons dangerous to humans?
Are Komodo dragons dangerous to humans?
The largest risk to the survival of the Komodo Dragon is encroachment by humans, destruction of environment and poaching of prey such as the Sunda deer. There are approximately 4,000 – 5,000 living Komodo dragons in the wild. Although attacks are very rare, Komodo dragons have been known to kill humans.
How do Komodo dragons taste their food?
How do Komodo dragons taste their food?
After being exposed to air, the tongue gets retracted and its prongs are inserted into the animal's Jacobson's organ (located on the roof of its mouth). This enables the reptile to identify whatever flavors it has just picked up, which allows Komodo dragons to start tasting a scrumptious carrion dinner from more than two miles away.
What do Komodo lizards eat?
Komodo dragons are also scavengers and juvenile lizards feed on dead carcasses to limit their foraging hours and prevent predation. If threatened, Komodo dragons can regurgitate their stomach content for lowering their weight for an easy escape.
Where do Komodo dragons live in Indonesia?
Where do Komodo dragons live in Indonesia?
Native Habitat. Komodo dragons are limited to a few Indonesian islands of the Lesser Sunda group, including Rintja, Padar and Flores, and of course the island of Komodo, the largest at 22 miles (35 kilometers) long. They have not been seen on the island of Padar since the 1970s.
How do Komodo dragons eat and drink?
How do Komodo dragons eat and drink?
Because of their slow metabolism, large dragons can survive on as little as 12 meals a year. Because the Komodo dragon does not have a diaphragm, it cannot suck water when drinking, nor can it lap water with its tongue. Instead, it drinks by taking a mouthful of water, lifting its head, and letting the water run down its throat.
How does the Komodo dragon sense smell?
As with many other reptiles, the Komodo dragon primarily relies on its tongue to detect, taste, and smell stimuli, with the vomeronasal sense using the Jacobson's organ, rather than using the nostrils.
Is Komodo dragon skin good for leather?
Is Komodo dragon skin good for leather?
This rugged hide makes Komodo dragon skin a poor source of leather. Additionally, these osteoderms become more extensive and variable in shape as the Komodo dragon ages, ossifying more extensively as the lizard grows.