KOMODO DRAGONS

Basanta Khakurel
Taxonomy
Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Class Reptilia

Order Squamata

Family Varanidae

Genus Varanus

Species komodoensis
Location
- four islands of
Indonesia
- 1700 in Komodo
- 1300 in Rinca
- 2000 in Flores
- 100 in Gilli
Montang

- Primarily in
savanna forest but
are seen in
beaches and top
of ridges
Description
- Male - 79 to 91 kg and
2.59 m long
- Female - 68 to 73 kg
and 2.29 m long
- serrated teeth
- long, yellow,
bifurcated tongue
ECOLOGY
- prefers hot and dry places
- lives in dry, open grassland, savanna and low elevation
tropical forests
- solitary animals coming together to breed and eat
- capable to run and climb trees
- can dig holes with powerful forelimbs and claws
 DIET
- Carnivore
- Feed on decaying
flesh
- Ambush live prey
and leave to die
- Tear large chunks
and swallow whole
- 12 meals a year
- Saliva is reddish
and copious as
described in this
article
- There were 57
strains of bacteria
in the saliva which
caused sepsis and
associated with
dead and decaying
animals
- Only thing unknown
is why isn’t Komodo
Dragon affected by
the bacteria
- suspected mild
venomation in
human
casualties
caused
researchers to
explore more
- Looking at a
pair of glands,
they found
that there were
several toxic
proteins
Conservation
Status - not endangered but
considered vulnerable
- due to human settlement in
their habitats and loss of their
preys
- protected within Komodo
National Park
- 55 in 30 zoos over the world
FUN FACTS
- Habitat is smaller
than Rhode Island
- Hatchlings climb
trees to prevent
being eaten by their
own kinds
- Can smell dead flesh
5 miles away
- Hiss loudly and
inflate their throat
to communicate
- Can survive upto 2
months without food
or water
Sources
- www.seaworld.org
- www.livescience.com
- www.nationalzoo.si.edu
- Journal of Wildlife
- www.pnas.org
THANK YOU