Animal Unique | Komodo dragon | Komodo dragon is also known as the Komodo monitor. Komodo dragons are the world's heaviest living lizards. The distribution of the Komodo dragons is restricted to the Lesser Sunda Islands of Rinca, Komodo, Flores and the smaller islands of Gili, Montang and Padar. Padar does not have a permanent population. The total range is less than 1,000 square kilometers. Komodo National Park, all islands except Flores. However, recent research suggests that the large size of the Komodo dragons can be better understood as representing a relict population of very large varanid lizards that once lived in Indonesia and Australia, most of which, along with other megafauna, who died after the Pleistocene.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Lacertilia
Family: Varanidae
Genus: Varanus
Subgenus: V. (Varanus)
Species: V. komodoensis
The natural habitat of Komodo dragons is extremely fast by human standards. These arid volcanic islands have steep slopes and little available water most of the year. A short rainy season often produces local flooding. Dragons are the most numerous in the lower dry forest and savanna. In the wild, an adult Komodo dragon usually weighs around 70 kilograms, although captive specimens often weigh more. The Komodo dragon has a tail as long as his body, but also about 60 frequently replaced serrated teeth that can measure up to 2.5 inches long. The saliva is frequently blood-tinged, because the teeth are almost completely covered by gingival tissue that is naturally ruptured during feeding. This provides an ideal culture for the bacteria that live in his mouth. It also has a long, yellow, deeply forked tongue.
Keen sense of smell the Komodo dragon, the granting of aid by the favorable wind, makes it possible to search for carrion. to 5 miles away. Despite its size, the Komodo dragon is fast moving and agile. They can climb trees and like all monitor lizards are good swimmers. Their teeth are laterally compressed with serrated edges, similar to those of meat-eating sharks. They have about 60 teeth that replace them often and are positioned to cut out pieces of his prey. The highly flexible skull makes it possible to swallow large pieces of its food. The Komodo dragons mouth is full of virulent bacteria and even if its prey survives the original attack, it will later die of infection. In addition, recent research suggests that the Komodo dragons a poison gland that is more important in turning off their prey have.
Komodo dragons are carnivores. Although they eat mostly carrion, they will also ambush live prey with a stealthy approach. When suitable prey arrives near a dragon's ambush site, it suddenly in charge of the animal and go for the underside or the throat. It is able to its prey to localize by means of the sense of smell, which is a dead or dying animal can be found from a range of up to 9.5 kilometers. Komodo dragons have been seen tearing down large pigs and deer with their strong tail. Komodo dragons eat by tearing large chunks of meat and swallow them whole while the carcass down with their front legs. For smaller prey up to the size of a goat, their loose articulated jaws, flexible skull, and allows the stomach to expand its prey to swallow them whole.
In the wild, Komodo dragons are generally solitary animals except during breeding season. Men maintain and defend a territory and patrol up to 1.2 miles per day. Areas depend on the size of the dragon. The feeding range to expand and can be shared with other men. A Komodo dragonn will allow other dragons on its territory to stabbing when they are on a food run. Komodo dragons maintain burrows within their core ranges and occasionally males swim from island to island over long distances. They regulate their body temperature with the aid of a hollow.
Komodo dragons are formidable predators, because even one bite can kill. The bacteria that live in the dragon's saliva are so virulent that wounds often will not heal. Even if the victim remains, usually die of infection within a few days. The dragon's reputation as a man eater is well deserved, it does not seem to fear humans and many attacks and deaths were reported. The current population of Komodo dragons seems relatively stable at about 5,000 animals, but scientists are concerned that only 350 of them are women breeding. This can be a normal sex ratio, little is known about the species. Limited spread of the dragon makes them highly susceptible to natural or manmade events such as storms, fire or disease.
The main threats to the survival of the Komodo dragon include illegal hunting and loss of habitat to human settlement. As was the case with most large, spectacular animals around the world, Komodo dragons are sought as trophies by big-game hunters. They are slain for skins and feet to make novelties. In the beginning of this century, many Komodo dragons captured for sale to zoos and private collectors. Komodo dragons are the center of a thriving tourism industry and local people are increasingly recognizing the benefits of living near these potentially dangerous animals. Because of the remote island of Komodo, the visitors to the island to stay in local hotels and hire local guides. In some areas, the Komodo dragons are so well fed that they are just waiting for the next group of tourists to the next meal of goat or sheep to carry.
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