Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA shows the Komodo dragon to be the closest relative (sister taxon) of the lace monitor (V. varius), with their common ancestor diverging from a lineage that gave rise to the crocodile monitor (Varanus salvadorii) of New Guinea.[1]
Is A Komodo Dragon A Type Of Dragon?
It is a type of monitor lizard, an ancient group of reptiles with ancestors that date back more than 100 million years. Komodo dragons were unknown by western scientists until 1912, and their common name came from rumors of a large dragon-like lizard occurring in the Lesser Sunda Islands.[2]
When Is Komodo Dragon
Komodo dragon – Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org › wiki › Komodo_dragon[3]
Is Komodo Dragon Alive Now?
Today, the I.U.C.N. estimates that there are just 1,380 adult Komodo dragons and another 2,000 juveniles left in the wild.[4]
Where Are Komodo Dragons Found?
Komodo dragons, which can grow to be 10 feet long and more than 300 pounds, are the world’s largest lizard. In the wild, they live in Komodo National Park in Indonesia, but many can be found at zoos in the U.S.[5]
How Old Is The Komodo Dragon?
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.[6]
When Did Komodo Dragons First Appear?
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.[7]
What Biome Does Komodo Dragon Live In
Habitat. Komodo dragons have thrived in the harsh climate of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands for millions of years. They prefer the islands’ tropical forests but can be found across the islands.[8]
Do Komodo Dragons Live In The Savanna?
The lizard’s habitat can be anything from a tropical dry forest to a savanna to a deciduous monsoon forest. No matter where they live, the Komodo likes extreme heat. It is usually around 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) with 70-percent humidity on the islands of Indonesia, according to the San Diego Zoo.Oct 17, 2014[9]
Do Komodo Dragons Live In The Desert?
The Komodo dragons are mostly found in the lower regions of the island. They prefer the forest and savannah areas. However, komodo dragons are able to survive in arid deserts. There are around 60 species of Varanus and all are recognized in Africa, Asia, SE Asia, and Australia.[10]
Do Komodo Dragons Live In Grasslands?
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. The islands are volcanic in origin, rugged and hilly, and covered with both forest and savanna grassland.[11]
What Is A Komodo Dragons Ecosystem?
Adult Komodo dragons live mainly in tropical savannah forests. They prefer open lowland areas with tall grasses and bushes, but are also found in other habitats, such as beaches, ridge tops, and dry riverbeds.[12]
How Does The Komodo Dragon Eat
Komodos hold down food with their heavy legs and slice off huge chunks with their teeth. The dragon’s can expand their jaws and swallow an entire fawn, a boar’s head, or half a goat, in one gulp. Dragons will converge on a smelly carcass from miles away.[13]
How Do Komodo Dragons Eat Whole?
5. A Komodo dragon can swallow whole prey the size of a goat. It takes 15 to 20 minutes to do so. Sometimes a dragon will ram the carcass against a tree to help push it down its throat—the force it uses to do so is so powerful that the tree sometimes falls down.[14]
How Does A Komodo Dragon Digest Food?
The komodo dragon also has a digestive system. This includes a stomach to hold the food. The nutrients that the dragon ingests are absorbed from the small intestine and it goes into the blood. To learn about how komodo dragons reproduce, click here![15]
Do Komodo Dragons Chew Their Food?
Komodo dragons do not chew their food. They eat by biting and pulling off large chunks of flesh and swallowing them whole. They can swallow smaller prey, up to the size of a goat, whole. This is because they have flexible jaws and skulls, and their stomachs can expand.[16]
How Long Has The Komodo Dragon Been Endangered National Geograpic
Komodo dragon, facts and photos – National Geographicwww.nationalgeographic.com › animals › reptiles › facts › komodo-dragon[17]
How Long Have Komodo Dragons Been Endangered?
Before the status change, the komodo dragons had been in “Vulnerable” status, or one level under Threatened, since 1996.[18]
In What Year Was Komodo Dragon Listed On The Endangered Species List?
While this categorisation is now defunct, the lizard was redesignated as Vulnerable in 1996, where it remained for the past 25 years. In reassessing the Komodo dragon for 2021, the IUCN considered a variety of factors relating to its lifestyle and habitat.[19]
Are Komodo Dragons Endangered 2021?
Komodo dragons are now classified as an endangered species, and climate change is being blamed. The real-life version of Godzilla, the Komodo dragon, is now an endangered species, and experts believe the species is headed toward extinction.[20]
How Did Komodo Dragons Become Endangered?
They are listed as vulnerable due to habitat destruction from development and natural disasters, loss of large prey (such as deer) from widespread hunting and illegal hunting of the lizards themselves.[21]
How Poten Is Komodo Dragon Poison
Their venom is highly poisonous and enough to kill animals in a few hours, even humans. Scientists have believed that Komodo dragons have killed their victims through bacterial infection for decades.Feb 5, 2022[22]
How Potent Is Komodo Dragon Venom?
Shocking bite
The team’s computer modelling of the Komodo bite suggests a relatively weak bite – a maximum bite force of 39 newtons, compared to 252 N for an Australian saltwater crocodile of the same size – but the powerful neck and razor-sharp teeth are ideal for a slashing attack.May 18, 2009[23]
Is The Komodo Dragon The Most Poisonous?
Using sophisticated medical imaging techniques, an international team led by Dr Bryan Fry from the University of Melbourne have revealed that the Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) has the most complex venom glands yet described for any reptile, and that its close extinct relative Megalania was the largest venomous …[24]
Is Komodo Dragon Venom Used In Medicine?
Scientists say that’s because the blood of Komodo dragons is filled with proteins called antimicrobial peptides, AMPs, an all-purpose infection defense produced by all living creatures, that one day may be used in drugs to protect humans.[25]
What Happens If You Are Bitten By A Komodo Dragon?
Get medical attention: Even if you didn’t receive any large or serious bite wounds, you should always seek medical attention after any encounter with a Komodo dragon. Even small bites can become infected and lead to problems with blood thinning and poisoning.[26]
How Lethal Is A Raw Komodo Dragon Egg
Largest Lizard On Earth – The Komodo Dragon | Wild Animal Lifewww.youtube.com › watch[27]
How Painful Is Komodo Dragon Venom?
Komodo dragons have a natural predator mouth with shark-like teeth and strong venom. Studies say that a Komodo’s venom can kill an adult human within hours. Apart from that, the Komodo dragon’s bite itself can leave deep wounds that can cause excruciating pain.Feb 5, 2022[28]
How Many Deaths Do Komodo Dragons Cause?
Attacks on humans are rare, but Komodo dragons have been responsible for several human fatalities, in both the wild and in captivity. According to data from Komodo National Park spanning a 38-year period between 1974 and 2012, there were 24 reported attacks on humans, five of them fatal.[29]
Can You Survive A Bite From A Komodo Dragon?
Get medical attention: Even if you didn’t receive any large or serious bite wounds, you should always seek medical attention after any encounter with a Komodo dragon. Even small bites can become infected and lead to problems with blood thinning and poisoning.[30]
Resources
[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon
[2]https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/komodo-dragon
[3]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon
[4]https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/08/science/komodo-dragons-endangered.html
[5]https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/where-to-see-komodo-dragons
[6]https://theculturetrip.com/asia/indonesia/articles/11-facts-komodo-dragon-indonesias-national-animal/
[7]https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/may/17/here-be-dragons-the-million-year-journey-of-the-komodo-dragon
[8]https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/komodo-dragon
[9]https://www.livescience.com/27402-komodo-dragons.html
[10]http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2008/borgen_mega/habitat.htm
[11]https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/komodo-dragon
[12]https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Varanus_komodoensis/
[13]https://louisvillezoo.org/animalsandplants/komodo-dragon/
[14]https://www.worldwildlife.org/blog-posts/ten-fierce-facts-about-komodo-dragons
[15]http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2008/borgen_mega/Nutrition.htm
[16]https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon
[17]https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/komodo-dragon
[18]https://theconversation.com/why-we-must-reassess-the-komodo-dragons-endangered-status-168659
[19]https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2021/september/komodo-dragon-is-now-listed-as-endangered-as-rising-sea-levels-t.html
[20]https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2021/09/13/komodo-dragons-named-endangered-species-climate-change/8324979002/
[21]https://www.extinction.photo/species/komodo-dragon/
[22]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/are-komodo-dragons-poisonous-or-dangerous/
[23]https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17156-venom-is-key-to-komodo-dragons-killing-power/
[24]https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518172650.htm
[25]https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/komodo-dragon-blood-might-save-human-lives-getting-it-isnt-easy/2017/10/06/5d6506cc-7d27-11e7-83c7-5bd5460f0d7e_story.html
[26]https://www.forestwildlife.org/how-to-survive-a-komodo-dragon-attack/
[27]https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3Dw-aFXjsSrww
[28]https://a-z-animals.com/blog/are-komodo-dragons-poisonous-or-dangerous/
[29]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon
[30]https://www.forestwildlife.org/how-to-survive-a-komodo-dragon-attack/