Komodo dragon (Indonesia)
While China and Vietnam have mystical dragons among their national emblems, only Indonesia can say it has the real deal. The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the world’s largest living lizard.Sep 22, 2014[1]
How Many Countries Have Komodo Dragons?
HABITAT AND DIET. Komodo dragons live on only five islands in southeastern Indonesia: Indonesia’s four islands within Komodo National Park (Komodo, Rinca, Gili Montang, Gili Dasami), and the island of Flores.[2]
Is Komodo Dragon From Japan?
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a member of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang.[3]
Is Komodo Dragon Only In Indonesia?
The Komodo dragon can only be found on several Indonesian islands, having lived in this same habitat for millions of years. Preferring the tropical forests, dragons can also be seen on land or near water, clocking up kilometres daily in search for food.[4]
What Is The National Animal Of Indonesia With Name?
National animal (Indonesian: Satwa bangsa) of Indonesia is Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis)[5]
What Was The Ancestor To The Komodo Dragon?
Unravelling the origins of the Earth’s largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, scientists have found that its ancestors bred with sand monitor lizards from Australia and southern New Guinea millions of years ago.Mar 3, 2021[6]
What Is The Komodo Dragon Closest Relative?
Megalania possibly shares a sister-taxon relationship with the modern Komodo Dragon, though its closest living relative is the Lace Monitor. Like these relatives, it’s likely Megalania was a venomous animal, and if that’s the case it’s the largest venomous vertebrate to ever live.[7]
Did Komodo Dragons Evolve From Megalania?
Megalania is thought to have had a similar ecology to the living Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). The youngest fossil remains of giant monitor lizards in Australia date to around 50,000 years ago. The first indigenous settlers of Australia might have encountered megalania, and been a factor in their extinction.[8]
When Did Komodo Dragons First Evolve?
Fossils from Flores’ hot central region indicate that Komodo dragons first appeared on the island around one million years ago, and lived alongside pygmy elephants, giant tortoises and giant rats, and continued to do so for thousands of years.May 17, 2017[9]
Are Komodo Dragons Ancient?
Komodo dragons are ancient
They have been around a very long time. Though only discovered by Europeans in 1910, Komodos are considered a relict of giant lizards that have existed in Flores for at least 900,000 years. And fossils similar to Komodo dragons have been dated 3.8 million years old.[10]
Which Is Bigger American Aligator Or Komodo Dragon
Komodo Dragon vs Alligator: Size
A Komodo dragon is the largest monitor lizard on the planet, measuring up to 10 feet in length and weighing upwards of 300lbs. That is a large reptile, but the alligator is larger. They regularly reach over 700lbs and grow up to 11 feet long.Feb 1, 2022[11]
What’S Bigger Than A Komodo Dragon?
The Megalania is often depicted as being very similar to and larger than the Komodo dragon. The average Komodo dragon weighs about 150-300lbs and grows about 6.6ft long, including their powerful tails.[12]
What Beats A Komodo Dragon?
The Honey Badger is among the fiercest, most fearless animals on the planet. It’s speed, mobility, aggression and fighting prowess would likely find a way to defeat the bigger, slower Komodo Dragon.[13]
Is A Komodo Dragon Related To An Alligator?
Reaching a weight up to 300 pounds (160 kg) and a length of 10 feet (3 meters), it is the largest documented lizard in the world but not the biggest living reptile which is alligators and crocodiles. The alligators and crocodiles are also more closely related to the dinosaurs than the Komodo dragon.[14]
What Makes A Komodo Dragon Deadly
The combination of venom and multiple lacerations from the lizards’ sharp, serrated teeth is what makes the dragons so deadly. ‘They’re not like the cobra, where venom is the only game in town. Komodos have a combined arsenal,’ Fry said.May 17, 2009[15]
Why Are Komodo Dragons So Deadly?
So what makes a Komodo dragon’s bite lethal? Komodo dragons possess a potent venom delivered through their razor-sharp teeth. This venom can kill humans within a few hours. Komodo dragons are aggressive and forceful hunters, and there have also been incidents where they have attacked humans.Feb 5, 2022[16]
What Happens If A Komodo Dragon Bites You?
The powerful venom has a devastating effect on prey, causing a sudden drop in blood pressure that sends them into shock. At the same time, the venom stops the victim’s blood clotting, so it bleeds to death.May 18, 2009[17]
Are Komodo Dragons Actually Venomous?
Scientists have long observed the Komodo dragon, native to Indonesia. They have found that it does secrete venom in its mouth. This venom lowers blood pressure and expedites blood loss, sending the victim into shock and making it to weak to fight back. They are not the only venomous lizards.May 27, 2020[18]
How Many Young Will Survive Komodo Dragon
Life History – Komodo Survival Programkomododragon.org › post › detail[19]
How Old Can A Komodo Dragon Live Up To?
Komodo dragons live about 30 years in the wild, but scientists are still studying this.[20]
How Long Does A Komodo Dragon Stay With Their Babies?
As soon as they hatch, the young will run away and climb up trees to avoid being eaten by their mother or other Komodos. When they are 4 years old and around 4 feet (1.2 m), the young Komodos will come down and live on the ground, according to the San Diego Zoo.Oct 17, 2014[21]
How Many Baby Komodo Dragons Are Left?
It is estimated that there are fewer than 2,500 of the species remaining in the wild and as few as 350 breeding females left alive. As the world’s largest living species of lizards, Komodo dragons are known to weigh more than 150 pounds and measure up to 10 feet in length, according to the WCS.[22]
How Do Komodo Dragons Care For Their Young?
The female lays between 15 and 30 eggs and guards her nest and eggs for the first few months. Life for a young dragon is not easy. As soon as the baby hatches, it scrambles out of the nest and scurries up the nearest tree so the adults won’t eat it. That’s right—adult dragons regard the hatchlings as easy meals![23]
What Evolved Into Komodo Dragon
In the past, researchers had suggested the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) developed from a smaller ancestor isolated on the Indonesian islands, evolving its large size as a response to lack of competition from other predators or as a specialist hunter of pygmy elephants known as Stegodon.Oct 6, 2009[24]
Where Did Komodo Dragons Originate From?
This indicates that Komodo dragons originated in Australia alongside a variety of marsupial megafauna, rather than in isolation on Komodo or Flores. Moreover, the Australian material indicates that Komodo dragons attained large size early on in their evolution.May 17, 2017[25]
Did Komodo Dragons Evolve From Megalania?
Megalania is thought to have had a similar ecology to the living Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). The youngest fossil remains of giant monitor lizards in Australia date to around 50,000 years ago. The first indigenous settlers of Australia might have encountered megalania, and been a factor in their extinction.[26]
Are Komodo Dragons Descended From Dinosaurs?
That said, it’s very likely that dinosaurs are close ancestors of Giant Komodo Dragons. Many scientists and palaeontologists believe that Giant Komodo Dragons evolved directly from dinosaurs, and there are many similarities in their DNA to support this.[27]
Komodo Dragon When Do They Lay Eggs
Despite living in a tropical habitat, Komodo dragons are very seasonal in their egg laying habits- as it only in “winter” between August or September- a period about half way between the wet and dry season-when eggs are laid.[28]
How Long Does It Take For Komodo Dragons To Lay Eggs?
Egg laying
2.5 – 8 months (influences temperature and soil moisture).Sep 24, 2021[29]
How Long Are Komodo Dragons Pregnant For?
Komodo dragon mothers will also build decoy nests to confuse predators and keep her eggs safe. Then she will incubate the grapefruit-sized eggs for around three months. This group of eggs is called a clutch.Oct 17, 2014[30]
Resources
[1]https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/ten-unusual-national-animals-rival-unicorn-180952804/
[2]https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/komodo-dragon
[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon
[4]https://www.aquaexpeditions.com/indonesia-cruise/bali-komodo-national-park/komodo-dragon/
[5]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_symbols_of_Indonesia
[6]https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/origin-of-the-worlds-largest-lizard/
[7]https://www.thedinopark.com/megalania.html
[8]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalania
[9]https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/may/17/here-be-dragons-the-million-year-journey-of-the-komodo-dragon
[10]https://theculturetrip.com/asia/indonesia/articles/11-facts-komodo-dragon-indonesias-national-animal/
[11]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/komodo-dragon-vs-alligator-who-would-win-in-a-fight/
[12]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/meet-the-lizard-10x-bigger-than-a-komodo-dragon-lived-with-humans/
[13]https://headsup.scoutlife.org/who-wins-honey-badger-or-komodo-dragon/
[14]https://www.aquaticcommunity.com/Komododragon/
[15]https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/komodo-dragon-venom
[16]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/are-komodo-dragons-poisonous-or-dangerous/
[17]https://www.theguardian.com/science/2009/may/18/komodo-dragon-venomous-bite
[18]https://www.animalwised.com/are-komodo-dragons-venomous-1371.html
[19]https://komododragon.org/post/detail/2
[20]https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/komodo-dragon
[21]https://www.livescience.com/27402-komodo-dragons.html
[22]https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/6-kimodo-dragons-born-at-bronx-zoo
[23]https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/komodo-dragon
[24]https://www.livescience.com/9726-origin-komodo-dragon-revealed.html
[25]https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/may/17/here-be-dragons-the-million-year-journey-of-the-komodo-dragon
[26]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalania
[27]https://www.twinkl.co.uk/teaching-wiki/komodo-dragon
[28]https://komododragon.org/post/detail/2
[29]https://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/komododragon/reproduction
[30]https://www.livescience.com/27402-komodo-dragons.html