The trees also provide a readily available food source for the baby dragons in the form of abundant insects and smaller reptiles. All Komodo dragons are carnivores, and they actively hunt.
At one time, researchers believed that these lizards had hazardous bacteria in their mouths that caused the swift death of any animal or person that they bit. However, Australian researchers now think they have a venom in their saliva, similar to snake venom, that works with bacteria to deadly effect. By the end of its first year, a Komodo dragon grows to a length of around 3 feet. From that point on, it begins to live its life on the ground.
As adults, these giant lizards live alone. They may gather for a feast when a large animal has died, after which they all dine together. Interestingly, experts discovered that some Komodo dragons are incredibly territorial.
Those that are tend to live in a fixed area, which they protect. Those that wander continue to do so for their entire lives.
Whether territorial or a wanderer, each Komodo dragon may search for food in areas of up to 10 miles or more. As with many species of animals, Komodo dragons establish a social hierarchy when in proximity to one another, as around kills, for instance. When this happens, younger and smaller Komodo dragons defer to older, larger dragons. In that case, the older one may attack the younger one. Their saliva is frequently tinged with blood, because their teeth are almost completely covered by gingival tissue that is naturally lacerated during feeding.
They also has a long, yellow, deeply-forked tongues. Their tongue is used to detect taste and smell as in many other reptiles and they can detect carrion from 4 — 9. Komodo Dragons have visible ears although they do not have acute sense of hearing. They are able to see as far as metres feet , however, they have poor night vision. The Komodo Dragon is also able to see in colour.
The komodo dragons nostrils are not very good for smelling and it only has a few taste buds at the back of its throat. Their scales, some of which are reinforced with bone, have sensory plaques connected to nerves that facilitate their sense of touch.
The scales around the ears, lips, chin and soles of the feet may have three or more sensory plaques. The Komodo dragon prefers hot and dry places and typically lives in dry open grassland, savanna, scrubland and tropical forests at low elevations. Komodo dragons dig holes that can measure from 1 — 3 metres 3 — 10 feet wide using their powerful forelimbs and claws. Komodo Dragons are carnivores and mainly feed up on carrion dead animal carcasses. They also hunt and ambush prey such as invertebrates, mammals and birds.
To catch prey that is out of reach, komodo dragons are able to stand on their hind legs and use their tails as support. They have also been known to use their tails to knock down large deer and pigs.
Komodo dragons eat by tearing large chunks of flesh and swallowing them whole while holding the carcass down with their forelegs. 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. Dragons can calmly follow an escapee for miles as the venom takes effect, using their keen sense of smell to home in on the corpse. A dragon can eat a whopping 80 percent of its body weight in a single feeding. While asexual reproduction does allow female Komodo dragons to replenish their population—an evolutionary advantage—it has a significant drawback: This reproduction process only results in sons.
The dearth of other females within a population has led to evidence of inbreeding. But tourists are also important to conservation efforts, as the economic boost they provide incentives to locals to help protect the Komodo dragon. This square-mile refuge is also home to species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl and Timor deer, as well as a rich marine environment supporting whales, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, corals, sponges, manta rays, and more than a thousand species of fish.
It also works with local communities to build awareness of the species and the importance of protecting it. All rights reserved. Animals Photo Ark. Komodo dragon. A Komodo dragon photographed at Houston Zoo in Texas. Common Name: Komodo dragons. Scientific Name: Varanus komodoensis. Type: Reptiles. Diet: Carnivore. Size: 10 feet. Weight: pounds. Size relative to a 6-ft man:.
Least Concern Extinct. Current Population Trend: Unknown. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram.
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