TIL. Are Dragons Real??

michaellamden68 (69)in #til • 9 years ago

The Komodo dragon is the largest species of lizard on earth. It can grow up to 3 meters long and weigh 70 kilos (150 lbs). The Komodo has a ferocious bite; complete with serrated teeth and toxic saliva. They have attacked and killed humans. They are only found on four islands of Indonesia and are protected in Komodo National Park.

There are believed to be about 4,600 lizards in the national park, with about 2,200-2,300 on each of the two main islands, Komodo and Rinca. Four thousand humans live inside the park as well—gating themselves off from this ferocious reptile.

Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards on Earth. They have long, flat heads with rounded snouts, scaly skin, bowed legs and huge, muscular tails. They have about 60 frequently replaced serrated teeth that can measure up to 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) in length. Their saliva is frequently tinged with blood, because their teeth are almost completely covered by gingival tissue that is naturally lacerated during feeding. They also has a long, yellow, deeply-forked tongues.

Komodo Dragons are carnivores and mainly feed up on carrion (dead animal carcasses). They also hunt and ambush prey such as invertebrates, mammals and birds. To catch prey that is out of reach, komodo dragons are able to stand on their hind legs and use their tails as support. They have also been known to use their tails to knock down large deer and pigs.