Why is a Komodo dragon so special?

Komodo dragons, or Komodo monitors, are the largest, heaviest lizards in the world — and one of the few with a venomous bite. These stealthy, powerful hunters rely on their sense of smell to detect food, using their long, forked tongues to sample the air.

What are 5 interesting facts about Komodo dragons?

Are Komodo dragons useful?

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.

Are Komodo dragons bulletproof?

Here we go... Without doubt, one of the coolest living animals on the planet is the Komodo dragon Varanus komodoensis, a giant flesh-eating lizard that kills water buffalo, eats children, has venom glands, and is impervious to bullets (ok, I made that last bit up).

Can Komodo dragons be pets?

However there is one issue, Komodo dragons are an endangered and protected species. So no, it is illegal to own a Komodo Dragon as a pet. It's also illegal to remove one of these lizards from their native habitat without express government approval.

Largest Lizard on Earth | The Komodo Dragon | Deadly 60 | Indonesia | Series 3 | BBC

Do Komodo dragons eat their babies?

The Komodo dragon has 60 curved, serrated teeth that pack a punch. 2. Baby Komodo dragons are vulnerable to cannibalism by adults, which comprises 10 percent of its diet from comsuming its species' young ones. As a result, juveniles spend the beginning of their lives living in trees.

Are Komodo dragons smart?

No, Komodo dragons aren't just overgrown reptiles with tiny brains, according to Morgan, who has worked with a total of 10 adult Komodos. He said these animals are actually quite intelligent.

Is Komodo a cannibal?

Komodo dragons are cannibals

As well as eating birds, pigs, deer and buffalo, dragons eat other dragons, particularly newborn babies. Luckily, infant dragons are very agile, and quickly learn to escape the hungry adults by climbing trees.

What eats Komodo dragon?

Due to the fact that the Komodo Dragon is the most dominant predator in its environment, mature adults have no natural predators in their native habitats.

Do dragons exist?

Dragons don't exist (as far as we know), but some of their individual characteristics can be found throughout the animal kingdom. It would have taken quite a few turns for natural selection to have produced dragons, but if you're willing to stretch a bit, most classic dragon characteristics do exist in other species.

Is a Komodo dragon stronger than a crocodile?

Crocodiles are larger, stronger, and faster than Komodo dragons. Crocodiles are also more common throughout the world, living in many countries. Komodo dragons only live in Indonesia.

Are dragons still alive?

Living Dragons

While there are no creatures on Earth that can fly and breathe fire, there are huge lizards that are known as dragons. Perhaps the most famous is the Komodo dragon, which can be ten feet long and weigh over 300 pounds.

Are Komodo dragons dinosaurs?

The Komodo Dragon, tough considered by many intellectual groups to carry the same traits, characteristics and DNA strand that would otherwise link its ancestors to the Prehistoric Period, is by default only a very large reptile and not a dinosaur.

Can a human survive a Komodo dragon bite?

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.

Can Komodo dragons hear?

They have a much smaller hearing range than humans and, as a result, cannot hear sounds like low-pitched voices or high-pitched screams. The Komodo dragon's sense of smell is its primary food detector. It uses its long, yellow, forked tongue to sample the air.

What is the smartest pet lizard?

THE MONITOR LIZARD

And coming in at the most intelligent reptile on the earth is the Monitor Lizard. Monitor Lizards can grow to be over a metre long and weigh more than 10kg. Monitors belong to a family of carnivorous lizards called the Varanidae.

Can Komodo dragons fly?

The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard living on Earth today, growing up to 10 feet long and weighing 150 pounds or more. Although it might look like a mini version of the fictional dragons you see in movies, this living fossil doesn't fly or breathe fire.

Can Komodo dragons be trained?

While "small," young Komodo dragons are as fast as lightning bolts with sharp teeth (60) and claws, and an insatiable appetite. That appetite is an excellent motivator for training because they are always motivated, i.e., perform a behavior for a food item. Komodo dragons are intelligent and pick up training well.

Can Komodo dragons swim in water?

Komodo dragons don't look particularly athletic, but they are, in fact, excellent swimmers. Their swimming ability is what originally allowed them to expand from their native Australia to the Lesser Sunda Islands, where they are found today. Komodo dragons can easily swim 1,000 feet without resting.

Why do Komodo dragons stick out their tongues?

The komodo dragon has poor eyesight and restricted hearing ability. However, it can use its tongue to detect smells and taste. The komodo dragon sticks out its tongue and swings its head from side to side when it moves. This allows it to find prey up to 6 miles away!

What dinosaur is closest to a dragon?

Described as 'the closest thing to a real life dragon,' scientists have discovered a new 'fearsome beast' from the time of the dinosaurs!

What dinosaurs still exist today?

In an evolutionary sense, birds are a living group of dinosaurs because they descended from the common ancestor of all dinosaurs. Other than birds, however, there is no scientific evidence that any dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus, Velociraptor, Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus, or Triceratops, are still alive.

When was the last dinosaur alive?

Dinosaurs went extinct about 65 million years ago (at the end of the Cretaceous Period), after living on Earth for about 165 million years.

Do flying dragons exist?

Flying "dragons" exist today and in the fossil record. They are not merely fantasy beasts. While wingless dragons wouldn't fly in the strict sense of the term, they could glide long distances without violating any laws of physics.