Page 52 - Reptiles & Dinosaurs (Britannica Illustrated Science Library)

48 LIZARDS AND CROCODILES REPTILES AND DINOSAURS 49

Komodo Dragon How It Attacks Its Prey A Long Hunt

Komodo dragons have an acute
SEARCH
sense of smell that can detect
his animal is the largest lizard in the world. It is related to monitor lizards and can 1 The dragon searches the presence of other animals up to 2
grow up to 9.8 feet (3 m) long and weigh up to approximately 330 pounds (150 5,000 for food with its miles (3 km) away. They track their
forked tongue. When
T kg). These endangered lizards live only on a group of islands in Indonesia. They chasing its prey, it prey using their forked tongues to
detect scents from molecules in the air.
are carnivorous and are known for their ferocity in attacking their prey. Their saliva is LIZARDS can reach speeds of Jacobson's organ, located inside the
up to 11 miles (18
full of bacteria that can kill their prey with only one bite. They can detect other of the family Varanidae live in the km) per hour. mouth, helps the lizard to locate its
prey more rapidly and consume less
wild on six small Indonesian islands,
Komodo dragons from several miles away. including Komodo Island. energy while tracking it.
INDONESIA
KOMODO SMELL
DRAGON TOUGH SKIN They have an acute sense of BITE
Banta KOMODO Varanus smell that can detect the odor of 2 Following the scent, the
NATIONAL PARK komodoensis is covered with decomposing flesh at a distance
Padar black, brown, or of up to 3 miles (5 km). dragon captures its prey,
Sumbawa dark gray scales. which dies
Habitat (approx.) 900 square miles (2,300 sq km) after being
bitten. Its
Nusa Number of Dragons Less than 5,000 favorite prey is deer
and wild boars.

Komodo
Rinca
Kode
Montong

3 FEEDING
The dragon feeds rapidly,
using the flexible joints of
its jaws and skull.
It digests not only
SALIVA chunks of meat
contains bacteria that but also the
are harmful to its prey. skin and bones
Antibacterial substances of its prey.
in the Komodo dragon's
blood protect it from
their harmful effects. TONGUE
is forked and is used for
tasting, smelling, and
feeling. It can perceive 4 STRUGGLE
various airborne Smelling a meal, more
particles, helping it dragons approach. The
detect prey. largest get the best
CLAWS portions. The younger
Its five claws are very sharp. ones keep their
It uses them to hold onto its Deadly Saliva distance, since the
dying prey.
The saliva of Komodo dragons is full of adults may act as
bacteria that can quickly kill its prey cannibals.
by causing septicemia. To kill its prey,
the Komodo dragon only needs to bite
SIZE AND WEIGHT it once. An analysis of its saliva
Males can grow more than 10 feet revealed 60 types of bacteria, 54 of
long. Females are somewhat smaller. which cause infection. These bacteria
STOMACH are known to cause putrefaction of
6 feet Like most reptiles, dead animals, including the bacteria
(1.8 m) Komodo dragons have a Pasteurella multocida (one of the
stomach that can expand deadliest), Streptococcus,
enormously. This enables Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and
them to gulp down up to Klebsiella. When combined, they
Weight Weight Weight 70 percent of their own are a deadly weapon. PASTEURELLA
MULTOCIDA
330 pounds (150 kg) 22 pounds (10 kg) 175 pounds weight in a single meal. Bacteria that affects
9.8 feet (3 m) 3.3 feet (1 m) (80 kg) the gastrointestinal
and respiratory
Komodo Dragon Iguana Human tracts of mammals
and birds