Komodo Dragon: Amazing Creature in World from Indonesia

Komodo (pic by Theo Alloys)

"In Indonesia there is a type of lizard that can reach sizes that you may have thought only existed in fairy tales."

These unique reptiles have been able to develop in an area where there is little for large animals to live on. They were there long before humans but like many organisms around the world they are subject to the growing human populations. These monitor lizards are known as Komodo dragons.

Komodo (pic by Kenneth Garrett)

The Komodo dragon, also known as Varanus komodoensis, may reach lengths of up to three meters and may weigh as much as 500 pounds.  They have claws that may be as long as ten centimeters, teeth that operate like little scalpels and saliva that contains a deadly bacteria, staphylococcus (Cherrington, 1997).  These monitors are known to be strong swimmers and may dive down to depths of 15 feet.  Most importantly they possess great intelligence, displayed best when they hunt or search out their next meal.  

These unique animals are only found on the island of Komodo and three nearby islands in Indonesia.  These islands are located in the lesser Sunda, halfway along the Indonesia archipelago, east of Bali and west of Timor.  Human populations are small on these three islands.  The island of Komodo contains about 1,700 dragons, Rinca has 1,300, and the tiny island of Gili Motang possesses around 100 dragons.  Komodo National Park consists of these three islands and various other islets.  Around 2000 more Komodos live on the island of Flores located to the east (Ciofi, 1999).  These unique animals are only found on the island of Komodo and three nearby islands in Indonesia.  These islands are located in the lesser Sunda, halfway along the Indonesia archipelago, east of Bali and west of Timor.  Human populations are small on these three islands.  The island of Komodo contains about 1,700 dragons, Rinca has 1,300, and the tiny island of Gili Motang possesses around 100 dragons.  Komodo National Park consists of these three islands and various other islets.  Around 2000 more Komodos live on the island of Flores located to the east (Ciofi, 1999).

Animals that escape the jaws of a Komodo will only feel lucky briefly. Dragon saliva teems with over 50 strains of bacteria, and within 24 hours, the stricken creature usually dies of blood poisoning. Dragons calmly follow an escapee for miles as the bacteria takes effect, using their keen sense of smell to hone in on the corpse. A dragon can eat a whopping 80 percent of its body weight in a single feeding.(article source: national geograpic , sfsu.edu )