The Komodo Dragon is the largest lizard found on Komodo Island, part of Indonesia in the Indian Ocean. They have long sharp claws, greenish-black hide, forked tongues (used for smelling), and a hinged jaw like that of a snake. This lizard has extremely short and powerful legs with talon claws and its tail can deliver a crushing blow to an opponent. A reasonable climber, the Komodo dragon is also quite fast, able to reach speeds of about 11 mph. They are solitary animals but will group around a carcass to try and get a portion of a kill. Komodo dragons are natural swimmers and use their large tails to propel them through the water. They can also dive beneath the water and hold their breath for a long time. The Komodo Dragon is found in semi-arid, hot savannah regions on the southern Indonesian islands of Komodo, Flores, Rintja, and Pada. It is the world's largest lizard as adult males average 8'6" at 175-200 lbs, while adult females average 7'6" and 150-160 lbs, although some dragons have been known to be over 10' long and weigh in excess of 300 lbs. Although there may be as many as 5,000 Komodo Dragons in the wild this species is considered to be THREATENED and is protected by the Indonesian government. This status rests on the fact that only about 350 of these animals are breeding females. This may be a normal male-female ratio as little is actually known about the animal itself. In fact, it was not until the early 1900s that scientists confirmed the existence of these giant lizards.

Eating Habits

Adults prey on pigs, goats, deer, young buffaloes and even horses. The young tend to prey on insects and small lizards and graduate to rats, mice and birds when they are about half-grown. One bite is enough to kill its prey because the bacteria in the mouth of the dragon is so virulent that wounds often do not heal and the victim dies within a few days. Its reputation as a human eater is also well deserved.

Mating Habits

During the mating season the male Komodo will make a kill and let the female eat from the carcass. After mating, the female lays between 20 and 40 eggs and the incubation period lasts for 8 months, the female goes off and digs a den in which to lay her eggs. She will stay and protect them for several weeks, but will eventually wander off before they hatch. The eggs hatch around April and the little Komodos are 50 cm long and golden in color. They climb up in trees and stay for several years until they grow larger. They start coming down to the ground when they are around 1 metre long. They dig dens near riverbanks and slopes with an opening only large enough for them to fit in, and stay there during the night for protection from the elements and other larger Komodos. They sometimes have two or more dens for convenience during the wet and dry seasons when the rivers rise. Older komodos are 3 metres long or longer and weigh around 90 kg.