Komodo dragon facts
Komodo dragons are the world’s largest and heaviest lizards. Komodo dragon babies live in trees until the age of 4 years old to avoid coming into conflict with larger adult dragons. Juveniles are more colourful starting off life as with red and yellow bands, whilst adults have grey brownish scales that provide camouflage in their surroundings. The adult female Komodo dragon can reproduce without ever having mated with a male, which is known as parthenogenesis.
Komodo dragons have sharp serrated teeth and powerful limbs able to propel them in quick bursts of up to 11 miles per hour. If the dragon’s prey escapes after being bitten, deadly infections from the bacteria living in the dragon's razor sharp teeth kill the victim within a week. The dragon can use it's long tongue to track it's prey from up to 5km away - and can eat up to 80% of its body weight in just one feeding. Komodo dragons have bowed legs, a large muscular tail, rounded snout and forked yellow tongue.
What do Komodo dragons eat?
Live prey and carrion including reptiles, birds, eggs, mammals, baby dragons and even occasional people.
Where are Komodo dragons from?
Found mainly on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rintja, Padar, and Flores.
Komodo dragon threats
Limited habitat and illegal hunting for trophies, skins and feet. We contribute towards the Komodo survival programme which is working to determine the range of the species in Indonesia, and better understand Komodo dragon ecology and engage with the local community.
