Island of huge monitor lizards. Monitor lizards
The Komodo dragon is sometimes called the Komodo dragon, and for good reason. This prehistoric predator with its appearance and size it really reminds us of mythical dragons. Komodo dragon is one of the largest living reptiles and is the largest modern lizard. The massive body of this monster can reach more than 3 meters, but most often its length is 2-3 meters. These monitor lizards usually weigh about 80 kg, but can be much heavier - approximately 165 kg.
This dinosaur of our days is very impressively armed. Its skull averages about 21 cm in length, and its huge mouth contains many large teeth with jagged edges that are flattened laterally and curved back. Each tooth is a kind of cutting knife. With such teeth, an animal can easily tear out pieces of meat from its victim. The monitor lizard does not have chewing teeth; all its teeth are of the same conical shape, so it practically does not chew, and when tearing off pieces of meat, it simply swallows them. The structure of the skull and pharynx allows this reptile to swallow very large pieces.
In addition to its terrifying teeth, the Komodo dragon is armed with long, hook-shaped claws and a truly terrifying tail. A blow from such a tail can knock an adult off his feet and cause him serious injuries. When monitor lizards fight among themselves, for example over prey or a female, they stand on hind legs, clasping each other with their paws and biting each other, while simultaneously trying to overcome the opponent. Although, it must be said that they rarely fight over prey. On the island Komodo monitors They are specially fed for the amusement of tourists. Several monitor lizards can easily devour a deer carcass. These huge lizards do not attack people, but they potentially pose serious danger. There are reliable cases of attacks by these reptiles on humans. Not only is the bite of a Komodo dragon extremely dangerous in itself, but its mouth contains many microbes that can cause blood poisoning.
In addition to the Komodo Island itself, which is lost among the many islands of the Indonesian archipelago, the Komodo dragon lives on the islands of Flores, Rindja and Padar. All these islands are quite small and difficult to distinguish on the map. And the Komodo dragon is not found anywhere else in the world, so this type protected by law. It would be a real crime if this reptile, which has come down to us from the depths of many millions of years, disappears from the face of the earth now, in the 21st century AD.
Throughout its entire habitat, the Komodo dragon is the dominant predator. None of the animals living side by side with him can compare with him in strength. The diet of the giant monitor lizard is based on deer and wild pigs. In addition, it feeds on other, smaller animals, as well as carrion.
Monitor lizards search for prey using vision, as well as their unusual language. With its forked tongue, the monitor lizard perceives the slightest odor particles left by the victim and analyzes them using the Jacobson's organ, which communicates with the oral cavity. Having discovered its prey, the monitor lizard creeps up to it at a suitable distance and then makes a swift lunge. Despite awkward look, the Komodo dragon is capable of developing unexpected speed for such a huge lizard. In principle, a Komodo dragon can catch up with a person, although a lot depends on the person himself - how fast he runs.
Mating of Komodo dragons usually occurs in July and is accompanied by fierce fights between males. In August, the female lays more than two dozen eggs, which she usually buries in the ground or hides in a hole. After about 8-8.5 months, the eggs hatch into babies that grow very quickly. They are very timid and run away at the slightest danger. Not like adults, monitor lizards are excellent at climbing trees and often climb them to escape. Young monitor lizards are brighter colored than adults. Over the years, they acquire a darker, greenish-brown color. The lifespan of the Komodo dragon is about 50 years.
In captivity, Komodo dragons quite easily get used to humans and become tame. It seems to me that monitor lizards are the most highly developed reptiles, after crocodiles. There are cases when tame monitor lizards responded to their nickname.
Classification:
Class: Reptilia (reptiles, or reptiles)
Order: Squamata (scaly)
Suborder: Lacertilia (lizards)
Family: Varanidae (monitors)
Genus: Varanus (monitor lizards)
Species: Varanus komodoensis (Komodo dragon)
Photos.
The aura of mystery surrounding Komodo dragons is full of numerous myths and legends. This is not surprising: lizards, reaching three meters in length and one and a half centners in weight, have long been nicknamed dragons. And their way of life, hidden from scientists, and their love of feasting on corpses, including human ones, only added to the mysticism in rare descriptions.
One of the quite scientific myths- the way monitor lizards kill their prey. Until recently, even in scientific circles, it was believed that dragons infect their prey with harmful bacteria living in their unclean teeth, and then wait for the microbes and their toxins to do their dirty work.
Brian Fry from the Australian University of Melbourne and his colleagues showed that
dragons are, first of all, owners of small, but very dangerous poisonous glands that cause prey to die from loss of blood.
Since in Lately Since the population of large ungulate mammals in the dragons’ habitat has decreased significantly, the average size of individuals has also decreased significantly. But even now, one laceration is enough to kill a mammal significantly larger than a monitor lizard. One can only guess who Megalania hunted, if their poisonous glands were 5 times larger than those of Komodo dragons and could simultaneously secrete up to 1.2 mg of poison.
Komodo dragon(also called Komodo dragon, giant Indonesian monitor lizard) - largest reptile in the world, as well as one of the most effective “killers” in the animal kingdom. The homeland of these largest lizards is Australia, but the name was attached to them because of the Komodo Island, where they were probably first discovered; now about 1,600 individuals live there. These animals have also been spotted on nearby islands from Komodo Island. These Indonesian islands include: Gili Motang Island, Flores Island, Rinca Island. Total number There are approximately 5,000 Komodo dragons.
Physical Description of the Komodo Dragon
In Komodo dragons long tails, strong and agile necks, strong limbs. Adult Komodo dragons are almost stone-colored. Growing monitor lizards may have brighter colors. Their tongues are yellow and forked, befitting their draconian name.
The monitor lizard's jaw and throat muscles allow it to swallow huge pieces of meat with amazing speed. Several movable joints, such as the intramandibular loop, allow the lower jaw to open unusually wide. The stomach expands easily, allowing adults to consume up to 80 percent of own weight per meal, which most likely explains some exaggerated claims for huge weight swallowed living creatures. When a Komodo dragon feels threatened, it may empty the contents of its stomach to reduce its weight and escape.
Although males tend to grow larger large sizes and more massive than females, there are no obvious morphological differences between the sexes. However, there does exist one small difference: a slight difference in weight distribution just at the front of the cloaca. Komodo dragon mating remains a challenge for researchers, as the dragons themselves seem to have some trouble figuring out which is which.
Dimensions
The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard living on Earth. Some recorded specimens reached a length of 3.13 meters (10.3 ft) and weighed 166 kg (366 lb). The largest wild Komodo dragons typically weigh around 70 kg (154 lb).
Habitat
The habitat of Komodo dragons is limited to several Indonesian islands, the Lesser Sunda Islands, including Rinca, Padar and Flores, and, of course, Komodo Island. They live in tropical savannah forests but are widely found on islands, from the beach to the mountain tops.
Eating habits
Their eyes can see objects very far away, up to 300 meters (985 feet), so vision really comes into play important role in their hunt, especially since their eyes are more focused on movement than on a variety of stationary objects. Their retinas contain only cones, so they are able to see colors but have poor vision in dim light. They have a much smaller hearing range than humans. As a result, the animal cannot hear sounds such as low-pitched voices and high-pitched squeals.
Vision and hearing are useful, but for the Komodo dragon, smell is its main food detector. The monitor lizard touches in the same way as a snake does. It uses its long, yellow, forked tongue to sample the air, after which it pushes the two tips of its tongue into the roof of its mouth, where it contacts the Jacobson's organ. Chemical “odor” analyzers recognize molecules present in the air. If there is a higher concentration on the left side of the tip of the tongue than on the right, the Komodo dragon knows that prey is approaching from the left. This system, along with a rocking gait where the head swings from side to side, helps the monitor lizard sense the presence and direction of scented carrion, up to 4 km (2.5 miles) away when there is wind.
When the Komodo dragon hunts and catches its prey, such as a deer, it attacks the legs first, throwing the deer off balance. When dealing with smaller prey, it can pounce directly on the neck. The monitor lizard's basic strategy is simple: try to take its prey to the ground and tear it to pieces. Strong muscles and powerful claws help him in this, but the teeth of the Komodo dragon are his most dangerous weapon. They are large, curved and jagged and are capable of tearing flesh with great efficiency. If the deer cannot escape immediately, the Komodo dragon will continue to tear it apart. Once convinced that its prey is incapacitated, the monitor lizard can stop its attack for a short rest. At this time, the deer will be seriously injured and in shock. The monitor lizard then delivers the final blow, an attack on the stomach. The deer quickly bleeds out and dies, and the Komodo dragon begins to eat it.
Pieces of meat, either fresh prey or carrion, will be stuck in the jagged teeth from the last meal. This protein-rich residue supports life large quantity bacteria. About 50 different bacterial strains have been found, at least seven of which are similar to septic tank. If the victim somehow escapes and avoids his death upon first encounter, there is a chance that his escape will be short-lived. The infections transmitted by a Komodo dragon bite will kill the victim in less than a week. In addition to bacteria in their saliva, researchers recently documented that Komodo dragons do have venom glands in their lower jaws. In addition to causing harm by the bacteria present in their saliva, their venom prevents the blood from clotting.
Video. How does a Komodo dragon hunt?
The dragon's bite is not fatal to other Komodo dragons. It is believed that monitor lizards, wounded by their comrades in battle, are not affected by deadly bacteria and poison. Scientists are looking for antibodies in the blood of Komodo dragons that could help save the life of an infected victim.
Large carnivorous mammals lions, such as lions, typically leave 25 to 30 percent of a carcass uneaten: intestinal contents, skinned skeleton and hooves. Komodo dragons eat much more efficiently, leaving only about 12 percent of their prey. They eat bones, hooves and even skin. They also eat intestines, but only after vigorously tearing them open to disembowel the contents.
Komodo dragons eat almost any type of meat. They rummage through rotten carcasses and hunt animals ranging in size from small rodents to large buffalos. The young mainly feed on small lizards, geckos and insects. They are tertiary predators (apex predator the food chain) and cannibals. They can detect carrion from a considerable distance, about 4 km (2.5 mi), and actively search for it. When hunting, the Komodo dragon stays close to the trails, where it waits for a deer or wild boar to pass by. It then attacks the prey, most attempts being unsuccessful, causing the animal to escape. However, if the monitor lizard manages to bite its prey, the toxic bacteria and venom in the saliva will kill the prey within the next few days. After the prey dies, it can take up to four days for the animal to find dead body, using his powerful sense of smell. As a rule, after a kill, many Komodo dragons come running for a feast and very little remains of the carcass of the killed animal.
At the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Komodo dragons are fed a weekly diet of rodents, chickens and rabbits. They get fish from time to time.
Social structure
Because large Komodo dragons eat young, the young often fall out in feces, thereby muffling odors so that larger dragons cannot smell them.
Reproduction and development
Most matings occur from May to August. In a group gathered around carrion, an opportunity for courtship arises. Dominant males may be drawn into ritual fights in search of females. Using their tails for support, they fight in a vertical position, grabbing each other with their front legs, which they use to try to throw the opponent to the ground. Blood, as a rule, changes everything and the one who used it either continues to fight or remains submissive and motionless.
A female Komodo dragon lays about 30 eggs. Delaying styling can help avoid the dry season of the brutally hot months. In addition, unfertilized eggs may get a second chance in subsequent matings. The female lays her eggs in dug holes on mountain slopes or in the nests of greatfoots, chicken-like birds that make nests from soil mixed with twigs that can reach 1 meter (3 ft) high and 3 meters (10 ft) wide. During the maturation of the eggs (about nine months), females can lie on the nests, protecting their future offspring. There is no evidence, but the parents of hatched Komodo dragons are not involved in their care in any way.
The hatchlings weigh less than 100 g (3.5 oz) and average 40 centimeters (16 in) in length. Their first years are full of danger and they often fall prey to predators, including their own brothers. They feed on a varied diet consisting of insects, small lizards, snakes and birds. If they reach five years of age, they can weigh 25 kg (55 lb) and reach a length of 2 meters (6.5 ft). By this time they move on to larger prey such as rodents, monkeys, goats, wild boars and the most popular food of Komodo dragons, deer. Slow growth continues throughout their life, which can last more than 30 years.
Rest habits
They escape the heat during the day and seek shelter at night in burrows that are slightly larger than them.
Lifespan
IN wildlife Komodo dragons live for about 30 years, but scientists are still studying this.
Study reveals how Komodo dragon kills its prey
Researchers from the University of Melbourne in Australia have discovered that the secret to predatory success lies in its amazing poison.
Until now, it was believed that the bite of the Komodo monster was contagious due to certain bacteria contained in its mouth. Due to the lightning-fast microbial attack spreading throughout the victim’s entire body, the bitten animal soon died and the monitor lizard could only wait and find the victim by its smell. Having waited until the animal died or the moment when it became very weak and could not defend itself, the monitor lizard began to eat.
But Brian Fry and his team refuted this hypothesis, discovering venomous glands in the animal's skull causing severe paralysis in those who received a reptile bite. After studying the poison, scientists discovered that it expands blood vessels and prevents blood from clotting, causing "shock" in the victim. The Komodo monster's bite is much weaker than that of a crocodile, but their prey soon dies due to blood loss caused by the lethal, powerful venom that prevents blood clotting.
Fry also studied the fossils of an extinct giant monitor lizard known as Megalania (Varanus prisca) to find out whether this species had poisonous glands. Their results, published in March 2009 in the American journal PNAS (English Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, rus. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) showed that this lizard, reaching a length of seven meters, was one of the largest poisonous animals that existed on Earth.
Photo portrait of a Komodo dragon
Mouth of a Komodo dragon
Monitor lizard next to its victim
Latest known cases Komodo dragon attacks on people
In 2007, an eight-year-old boy was killed by a Komodo dragon, the first recorded fatal attack in 30 years. The attack occurred in March during the dry season, so keepers speculate that the lizard may have been particularly hungry given that the water bodies have dried up and the prey that gathers there has stopped coming to them. A Komodo dragon attacked the boy when he went into the bushes to relieve himself, local media reported.
The boy's uncle came running and began throwing stones at the lizard until it let go of his nephew. Either way, the boy died from heavy bleeding from his torso; his uncle described the boy as having two visible bite marks.
In 2008, three Britons, Kathleen Mitchinson, Charlotte Allyn and James Manning, were forced to throw stones to ward off Komodo dragons when they became stranded on the uninhabited island of Rinca in eastern Indonesia. They managed to induce fear in animals. But Anwar was not so lucky.
In 2008, a group of scuba divers on a boat were pushed far from their original dive point by the strong Flores Current. After 10 hours of spinning at high tide, the group reached the beach around midnight on what appeared to be an uninhabited island, about 25 miles from where their ordeal began. However, their troubles did not end there. They ended up on the island of Rinca, where an estimated 1,300 Komodo dragons live.
The attacks began almost immediately. The merciless lizard repeatedly attacked the Swede and bit the diver’s belt. She chewed on her belt while other divers threw rocks at her head. For two days and nights, the injured divers battled monitor lizards and tropical heat as they scraped preserved shellfish from rocks and ate them raw. Finally, the Indonesian rescue crew spotted a spotted orange emergency diver buoy placed on the rocks. Although the group of divers were in shock and recovering at a local hospital on the island of Flores, they celebrated their survival at a town bar.
In March 2009, police sergeant Cosmas Jalang reported that on Komodo island, 31-year-old apple picker Muhamad Anwar received " terrible wounds" "He was working on a tree when he slipped and fell," Sergeant Jalang said. He was immobilized, lying on the ground for a short time, and then two monitor lizards attacked him. "They're opportunistic predators and he didn't stand a chance."
Miss Teresia Tawa, who worked nearby and dealt with shock after seeing the attack, said: “He was bleeding all over his body. When he fell, barely a minute had passed before the monitor lizards were on him. They just bit and bit and bit, it was terrible. They bit his arms, torso, legs and neck."
A speedboat took Anwar to nearby Flores Island, but doctors at a clinic on Flores Island were unable to save Anwar's life.
Attacks on humans by Komodo dragons, of which there are fewer than 4,000 in the wild, are extremely rare, but keepers say the number of such incidents appears to be similar. last years has increased.
In 2017, giant monitor lizards practically ate the body of a tourist in Thailand. At the end of April, an investigation was launched into the death of 30-year-old Belgian tourist Elisa Dallemange, whose remains were discovered on the island of Tau on April 28. The police told the victim's relatives that she had committed suicide, but Eliza's family did not believe it.
The girl's body was so badly torn apart by giant monitor lizards (not Komodo monitor lizards, giant monitor lizards are the third largest in size after Komodo dragons and striped monitors) that it could only be identified through a dental examination. The girl's parents reported that recent months she often traveled the world, practiced meditation and studied yoga. IN last time(April 17), when the Belgian woman contacted her relatives via Skype a few days before her death, the girl was in high spirits and said that she was very happy to exist in unity with nature on the “paradise island.”
Her mother said: “There are too many things that show us that someone is involved. The police told us that Elise hanged herself in the jungle. I cannot accept that my daughter killed herself." Perhaps Eliza's parents' suspicions may make sense, since no suicide note was found near the girl's body. Journalists believe that the Thai police will not reveal the real reason the death of a foreigner, so as not to scare away tourists. From 2014 to 2017, seven people died on Koh Tao. All of them became victims of lizards, which can reach three meters in length. Their bite is toxic and often fatal.
Below is a case where a monitor lizard attacked a girl. It was not a Komodo dragon, which emphasizes that even a not so frightening monitor lizard is capable of inflicting wounds on a person.
Goanna clutches the leg of an 8-year-old girl
On January 24, 2019, a young girl was rushed to hospital after a huge goanna bit her on a Queensland beach. An eight-year-old girl was left with a “frightening” wound to her leg after it took two people to free her from the jaws of a lizard at a campsite on South Stradbroke Island.
Photo. Snake catcher Tony Harrison with a goanna that attacked an 8-year-old girl
"This was a very disturbing incident," Queensland Ambulance Service Chief Inspector Janey Shearman told reporters. “While walking around the campsite she was attacked by a goanna which caused quite a nasty cut. It was quite difficult to get the goanna off the baby and it took a couple of people to get it off the leg.”
When the girl was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital for treatment of a deep wound to her leg, Shearman described the attack as “savage”.
Experts say goanna bites can be dangerous because the carnivores feed on carrion and toxic bacteria in the mouth can cause pain, swelling and prolonged bleeding caused by the bites.
Below you can see documentary about the investigation of attacks of Komodo dragons on people called: “In the mouth of the dragon.” The film examines a case in which a boy named Mansur was attacked by a Komodo dragon on Komodo Island. It was only thanks to the quick reaction of his uncle Jafar that the Komodo dragon abandoned its prey and disappeared from sight, but the worst was only yet to come. The boy died from loss of blood just 30 minutes later. The film also mentions an incident that occurred in 1974 with the famous German hunter, Baron Rudolf von Reding, who was eaten by a Komodo dragon during a walk. There is also a story from the head of the marina, Yvon Pariman, who was attacked by a monitor lizard when he lay down to rest on his bed with socks in his house (the Komodo monitor lizard grabbed his leg with socks). Yvon was lucky, despite his wounds and fever, he survived.
The dragons of Komodo Island are without a doubt the most stunning animal discovery of the 20th century on planet Earth. In 1912, while flying over the group of Lesser Sunda Islands in , a Dutch pilot was forced to land on the shore of a small uninhabited island due to a breakdown. Having settled comfortably on the beach, the pilot began to repair his plane when he suddenly felt that someone was standing behind him. He turned around and was stunned...
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF
Kingdom: Animalia.
Phylum: Chordata.
Class: Reptiles (Reptilia).
Squad: Squamates.
Family: Monitor lizards (Varanidae).
Genus: Monitor lizards (Varanus).
Species: Komodo dragon (Varanus komodensis).
WHY IS IT LISTED IN THE RED BOOK
Scientists estimate that there are between 4 and 5 thousand Komodo dragons left on Earth. Why did it happen so? There are many reasons: and high volcanic activity, and pollution environment, and illegal hunting of monitor lizards for their skin and claws, and tourism. Some reptiles die of hunger, as poachers kill animals that are easiest for monitor lizards to hunt. National Park Komodo was founded in 1980 specifically to protect and preserve this unique species.
WHERE DOES IT LIVE?
The Komodo dragon lives in Indonesia, but only on a limited number of islands: Rinca, Gili Motang, Florex and Komodo. By name last place monitor lizard and received the name "Komodo". Scientists believe that the homeland of the species is. Presumably, about 900 thousand years ago, the species penetrated the Indonesian islands, where it successfully took root. These animals avoid meeting people in every possible way.
HOW TO FIND OUT
The Komodo dragon is the most big lizard Earth. In the wild, monitor lizards weigh up to 70 kg, but when kept in captivity they can be much larger. The largest Komodo dragon known to science, reached a body length of 3.13 m and weighed 166 kg. In this case, about half the length is the tail. The skin of monitor lizards is brownish-brown and covered with light yellow specks. The color of young monitor lizards is more intense. On the back and tail of the body they have ocellated spots that can merge and form stripes. Aboriginal people often call the Komodo dragon a “land crocodile.” The nickname is justified by many features external structure reptiles. She has a stocky, squat body, short, widely spaced paws, a flattened head, very sharp, laterally flattened teeth with jagged edges. They help to cope perfectly even with big catch. The long curved claws are impressive! With their help, monitor lizards dig deep shelter holes and hunt their victims.
LIFESTYLE AND BIOLOGY
The Komodo dragon leads a solitary lifestyle. He is quite secretive and does not like company. Only occasionally, for example in mating season or while searching for food, monitor lizards unite in small groups. The rest of the time, each individual prefers to take care of itself independently.
The Komodo dragon is highly temperature dependent. Therefore, many features of his life are influenced weather conditions. He is active during the day. He spends the night in a shelter, from which, if necessary, he can still leave and go hunting. The Komodo dragon is an excellent swimmer. It perfectly covers the distances between islands by water. Young individuals spend a lot of time in trees, while older reptiles are more often found on the ground. Despite its apparent clumsiness, the Komodo dragon can reach speeds of up to 20 km/h and get food from a small height, standing on its hind legs and leaning on its tail.
The average life expectancy is 25 years. It is assumed that they can live longer. At about 10 years old, monitor lizards reach sexual maturity. The males fight for the female, and the winner gets the right to continue his family line. The female buries a clutch of 20 eggs in a hole or compost heap. The female remains guarding the nest for eight to nine months, until the babies are born. Immediately after birth, they leave the nest and rush to the trees, where they spend the first few years of their lives.
One that cannot be called a picky eater is the Komodo dragon. He is ready to swallow anything that moves, be it a grasshopper, a frog or a dog. Its impressive size, sharp teeth and tenacious claws help it attack even such large animals as a horse or deer. Of course, he is not able to kill the animal right away. But, inflicting wounds on it that carry poison and bacteria, the monitor lizard waits patiently until its victim dies, and only then begins to eat. Monitor lizards do not disdain carrion either. In its environment, the Komodo dragon is the largest and dangerous predator, so he has no one to fear.
The Komodo dragon easily moves from one emotional state to another. A peacefully lying and seemingly calm reptile can become angry and aggressive in a matter of minutes. There are known cases of attacks by Komodo dragons on zoo employees and ordinary people. Therefore, the giant should be treated with extreme caution.
5 961Where is Komodo National Park?
Founded in 1980, Komodo National Park is located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago. The park spreads over 600 square meters. km of land and 1.2 sq. km sea waters. It includes three main islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as many smaller islands.
Komodo Island
All of them are part of the Lesser Sunda Islands group and are located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores, the Indonesian archipelago. The largest of them is Komodo. Its population is 2 thousand people. The inhabitants of the island are descendants former prisoners, who were landed on the island and who subsequently mixed with the Bugis tribe from the island of Sulawesi.
Are Komodo dragons an endangered species?
Komodo dragons are classified as vulnerable animals. Experts estimate the population at 4,000 – 5,000 individuals. However, some scientists fear that among them there are only 350 females of reproductive age. All of them are listed in the IUCN Red List. A national park was organized especially for them on Komodo Island.
Any hunting of these pangolins is prohibited by law, and capture can only be carried out for zoos with special permission from the Nature Conservation Committee of the Indonesian government.
How much does a Komodo dragon weigh?
The Komodo dragon can reach a length of 2.5-3 m, its weight ranges from 50 to 70 kg. Females are smaller and reach a length of only 1.5-2 m. The length of the monitor lizard's tail is approximately half the length of the body.
How fast does a Komodo dragon run?
The Komodo dragon is quite fast and can reach speeds of up to 20 km/h. In principle, a Komodo dragon can catch up with a person, although a lot depends on the person himself - how fast he runs. Having no natural opponents, in addition to carrion, he hunts almost all large animals that can be found on the island - deer, buffalo, wild boar and his smaller relatives.
Monitor lizard hunts deer:Hiding unnoticed in the bushes or any other shelter, the Komodo dragon waits for its prey and then attacks. Deadly danger is as follows sharp teeth, and in 50 strains of various pathogenic bacteria that cause blood poisoning and death of the victim, usually within 24 hours.
Feature article Mad Zoologist about Komodo dragons:
The Komodo dragon is sometimes called the Komodo dragon, and for good reason. This prehistoric predator, with its appearance and size, really reminds us of mythical dragons. The Komodo dragon is one of the largest living reptiles and is the largest living lizard. The massive body of this monster can reach more than 3 meters, but most often its length is 2-3 meters. These monitor lizards usually weigh about 80 kg, but can be much heavier - approximately 165 kg.
This dinosaur of our days is very impressively armed. Its skull averages about 21 cm in length, and its huge mouth contains many large teeth with jagged edges that are flattened laterally and curved back. Each tooth is a kind of cutting knife. With such teeth, an animal can easily tear out pieces of meat from its victim. The monitor lizard does not have chewing teeth; all its teeth are of the same conical shape, so it practically does not chew, and when tearing off pieces of meat, it simply swallows them. The structure of the skull and pharynx allows this reptile to swallow very large pieces.
In addition to its terrifying teeth, the Komodo dragon is armed with long, hook-shaped claws and a truly terrifying tail. A blow from such a tail can knock an adult off his feet and cause him serious injuries. When monitor lizards fight among themselves, for example over prey or a female, they stand on their hind legs, wrapping their paws around each other and bite each other, while simultaneously trying to overcome their opponent. Although, it must be said that they rarely fight over prey. On Komodo Island, monitor lizards are specially fed for the amusement of tourists. Several monitor lizards can easily devour a deer carcass. These huge lizards do not attack people, but they potentially pose a serious danger. There are reliable cases of attacks by these reptiles on humans. Not only is the bite of a Komodo dragon extremely dangerous in itself, but its mouth contains many microbes that can cause blood poisoning.
In addition to the Komodo Island itself, which is lost among the many islands of the Indonesian archipelago, the Komodo dragon lives on the islands of Flores, Rindja and Padar. All these islands are quite small and difficult to distinguish on the map. And the Komodo dragon is not found anywhere else in the world, so this species is protected by law. It would be a real crime if this reptile, which has come down to us from the depths of many millions of years, disappears from the face of the earth now, in the 21st century AD.
Throughout its entire habitat, the Komodo dragon is the dominant predator. None of the animals living side by side with him can compare with him in strength. The diet of the giant monitor lizard is based on deer and wild pigs. In addition, it feeds on other, smaller animals, as well as carrion.
Monitor lizards search for prey using vision, as well as their unusual tongue. With its forked tongue, the monitor lizard perceives the slightest odor particles left by the victim and analyzes them using the Jacobson's organ, which communicates with the oral cavity. Having discovered its prey, the monitor lizard creeps up to it at a suitable distance and then makes a swift lunge. Despite its clumsy appearance, the Komodo dragon is capable of developing unexpected speed for such a huge lizard. In principle, a Komodo dragon can catch up with a person, although a lot depends on the person himself - how fast he runs.
Mating of Komodo dragons usually occurs in July and is accompanied by fierce fights between males. In August, the female lays more than two dozen eggs, which she usually buries in the ground or hides in a hole. After about 8-8.5 months, the eggs hatch into babies that grow very quickly. They are very timid and run away at the slightest danger. Not like adults, monitor lizards are excellent at climbing trees and often climb them to escape. Young monitor lizards are brighter colored than adults. Over the years, they acquire a darker, greenish-brown color. The lifespan of the Komodo dragon is about 50 years.
In captivity, Komodo dragons quite easily get used to humans and become tame. It seems to me that monitor lizards are the most highly developed reptiles, after crocodiles. There are cases when tame monitor lizards responded to their nickname.