Komodo dragons have inspired myths and legends for centuries. We take a look at the fearsome predator
What are Komodo dragons?
The Komodo dragon is the world’s largest living lizard and is endemic to Indonesia, in the World Heritage-listed Komodo National Park and neighbouring Flores, where it is an apex predator. It is a member of the monitor lizard family
How big are Komodo dragons?
Closely related to the water monitor, Komodo dragons are an impressive size: adults can be 3m long with a powerful tail and weigh 70kg.
Komodo dragon teeth
The dragon has what would appear to be the perfect tools for predation: 60 serrated, shark-like teeth. Yet its skull and the musculature of its jaws don’t seem up to the task; its bite is just one-sixth as powerful as that of a saltwater crocodile of the same size.
Scientists used to believe that the dragon made up for this with oral bacteria. A Komodo dragon’s mouth provides ideal conditions for up to 57 varieties of potent bacteria, such as Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli, commonly known as E. coli. Until recently, experts assumed that even a slight nick from those teeth would cause a wound that rapidly went gangrenous. T
he victim might stagger on for several days before succumbing, but a hungry dragon, tasting the air with its long, forked tongue, could pick up the whiff of death and decomposition to locate prey that perished long after the first bite.
Komodo dragon venom
But Dr Bryan Fry, a venom specialist at the University of Melbourne, dissected two dragon heads and found a pair of venom glands in their lower jaws, containing poison as potent as that of the deadliest terrestrial snakes.
Fry suggested that the dragon is armed with one of the most complex venom-delivery systems of any reptile. Though snakes can strike faster, the dragon distributes its venom by raking its teeth through its prey’s flesh. The poison lowers blood pressure and impairs coagulation, leading to blood loss and shock.
What do Komodo dragons eat?
Komodo dragons eat a variety of prey, from small reptiles, birds and insects when they are young to larger animals, from deer to horses, even water buffalo, when they are mature.
Do Komodo dragons really eat each other?
To sustain their bulk, Komodo dragons need substantial amounts of food. Meals can be limited on their island home, but the solution is obvious: eat each other. The smaller, more agile youngsters often climb trees to avoid being cannibalised.
How do komodo dragons reproduce?
As well as mating with males the species is also parthenogenetic: the females can lay fertile eggs without any input from males. This will only reproduce identical young, however. For the species to continue to adapt, it needs to mate.
How long do Komodo dragons live for?
It us thought the Komodo dragon’s lifespan is about 30 years
Are Komodo dragons endangered?
In 2021 the Komodo dragon was reclassified from Vulnerable to Endangered on the IUCN Red List, due to the impacts of climate change and habitat loss due to human activities.
Rising global temperatures due to climate change will result in higher sea levels, and modelling has predicted that the suitable habitat for the Komodo dragon will decrease by 30% in the next 45 years.
How many Komodo dragons are left in the world?
In 2021 the total adult population was thought to be no more than 1,400 individuals, split into eight subpopulations with the largest subpopulation containing no more than 500 individuals.
Main image © Getty Images