·
These
are the world's largest lizard. They are normally a sandy brown with dark
markings, although color may vary. They have a long neck and the tail longer
than the body. The feet have strong, sharp claws.
·
Size
of average well fed adult:
o
length:
male = 8.6 feet, female = 7.6 feet
o
weight:
male = 200 pounds, female = 150 pounds
·
Average
life span is 20 years.
·
Wild:
anything they can catch, favorites include deer, goat, wild boar and even smaller
komodos, will eat carrion
·
At
SCZ: rats and mice
·
Solitary:
together only to breed and sometimes to feed on carrion
·
Diurnal
(active in the day)
·
Good
swimmer
·
Good
eyesight
·
Can
move quickly over short distances
·
Hunt
by ambush and seize with jaws, bacteria in mouth infects prey when bitten, this
usually causes death by blood poisoning, if prey escapes it usually dies within
1 - 2 days, can track down animals for up to 4 miles
·
Reproduction
o
clutch
size: 20
o
incubation:
approx. 7 months
o
juveniles
live in trees, feeding on insects until they gain some size
·
Habitat:
lowland areas, mainly open with grasslands and palm trees
·
Distribution:
·
on
the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rintja, Padar, Flores, Gili, Mota, Owadi Sami
·
Status:
Endangered
o
habitat
destruction
·
Numbers:
2500-5000
Varanus komodensis
Endangered
The Komodo dragon is the world's largest living
reptile. It is found mainly on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rintja, Padar,
and Flores. There are only an estimated 1,000 to 5,000 of these monitor lizards
living today. Reaching lengths of up to 3 m or more, and weighing up to 126 kg,
these reptiles are swift runners and climbers with great appetites for deer and
wild boar.
Although often regarded as pests, they are not a
serious menace to humans. In order to protect the dragon, the Indonesian
government has made the islands of Padar and Rintja into nature reserves for
both the lizard and its prey. Commercial trade in specimens or skins is illegal
under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Imagine being shipwrecked on a remote
island and finding yourself face-to-face with the world's largest living lizard
-- a meat-eating monster up to 12 feet (3.6 m) long, weighing 300 pounds (136
kg)! The first visitors to Komodo Island probably were terrified by these
prehistoric-looking beasts. The Komodo dragon,
or komodo monitor lizard, is thought to be the source of Chinese legends of
great scaly man-eating monsters, the dragons that are still featured
prominently in Chinese folklore and religion.
The komodo dragon occurs only on Komodo and
its few smaller outlying islands north of Australia (see Spotlight on Island Biogeography).
It probably never was more widely distributed, although maps of ancient
mariners had notations of "here be dragons" dotted throughout the islands
of what is now Malaysia and Indonesia. It was not until the early 1900s that
scientists confirmed the existence of these incredible giant lizards.
Komodo dragons are carnivores (meat eaters)
and will devour any animal they are capable of dismembering and gulping down.
Although they are for the most part scavengers, they do capture live prey,
including deer, pigs, birds, even young dragons. The young can escape by
climbing trees, because the much-heavier adults cannot climb. Komodo dragons
are good swimmers and have been reported hunting in the surf for fish and
birds.
Komodo
dragons are formidable predators, since even one bite can be lethal. The
bacteria that live in the dragon's saliva are so virulent that wounds often
will not heal. Even if the victim gets away, it usually dies from infection in
a few days. The dragon's reputation as a human eater is well deserved; it does
not seem to fear humans and many attacks and deaths have been reported.
The current population of Komodo dragons
seems relatively stable at about 5,000 animals, yet scientists are concerned
that only 350 of them are breeding females. This may be a normal sex ratio;
little is known about the species. The dragon's limited distribution makes them
highly susceptible to natural or human-caused events, such as storms, fire, or
disease.
The primary threats to the dragon's
survival include illegal hunting and loss of habitat to human settlement. As
was the case with most large, spectacular animals the world over, Komodo
dragons were sought as trophies by big-game hunters. They also are killed for
skins and feet to make novelties. Early in this century, many Komodo dragons
were trapped for sale to zoos and private collectors.
Regulation of Trade and Habitat Protection
Trade in Komodo dragons is prohibited under
CITES.
Protection from poaching is made easier by the dragon's limited distribution;
there is little human habitation on the islands where it occurs, and Komodo
Island, the dragon's stronghold, has been made a national park.
Komodo dragons now are the center of a
burgeoning tourist industry and the local people increasingly are recognizing
the advantage of living near this potentially dangerous animal. Because of
Komodo Island's remoteness, visitors to the island must stay in local hotels
and hire local guides. In some areas, the komodo dragons are so well fed that
they simply lie around waiting for the next group of tourists to bring the next
meal of goat or sheep.
Do you think the rise in ecotourism is good
or bad for the survival of the Komodo dragon? What negative impacts might
island tourists have on the Komodo dragon and its habitat?