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The Koomodo Dragon

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The komodo dragon(Varanus komodoensis) also known as the komodo monitor is a large species of lizard found in the indonesian islands of komodo,rinca,flores,gili motang and padar. A member of the monitor lizard family Varanidae, it is the biggest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of three meters (10 feet) in rare cases and weighing up to 70 kilograms (150 pounds). The unusually large size has been attributed to island gigantism, since no other carnivorous animals fit the niche on the islands where they live. however, recent research suggests that the huge size of komodo dragons may be better understood as representative of a relict population of very large varanid lizards that once lived across indonesia and australia most of which with other megafauna died out after pleistocene. As a result of their size komodo dragons dominate the ecosystems in which they live. Komodo dragons prey consists of …show more content…

About 2 eggs are leid in self dug holes and left to incubate for 7-8 months hatching in april when insects and smaller animals are most common. In the early stages of their life the komodo dragon will stay in trees as to hide from cannibalistic adults and other dangers. Komodo dragons were first recorded in 1910 by western scientists. Their large size and fearsome reputation make them popular zoo exhibits throughout the world. The komodo dragon is also known as the komodo monitor or by the natives as ora, buaya darat (land crocodile), or biawak raksasa (giant monitor) its scientific literature name is komodo island monitor. The evolution of the Komodo dragon started with the varanus genus which originated in asia about 40 million years ago and migrated to australia 15 million years ago a collision between australia and south east asia is what allowed the varanids to migrate into what is now known as indonesia and extending their range about as far east as the island of

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