Aviva Trivia

Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world and belong to the family of monitor lizards.

They live in Africa, Asia and Australia, but perhaps most famously on the island of Komodo in Indonesia where a national park has been created for its protection.

Komodo Island is considered one of the most dangerous places in the world-because of the dragons and also because of typhoons and dangerous reefs.

Other dangers that live and lurk about Komodo Island are poisonous millipedes and spiders and cobras.

Most adult dragons grow to six feet in length, but the largest on record was more than ten feet.  They weigh roughly around one hundred pounds.

Dragons sleep at night and hunt by day.  They will eat young dragons, but seem to prefer rotting meat to live meat.

The bacteria from rotting meat lives in the mouths of the dragons who are immune from harm.  If the dragons don’t kill their prey themselves, often the bacteria that enters the prey from a bite will within a couple days.

The forked tongue of the Komodo dragon detects scent molecules in the air to find its prey.  It has been said that a dragon on the charge makes grunts that sound like a machine gun.

Komodo dragons eat almost anything-that’s meat!  They are not vegetarians so avoid plants.

It is estimated that there are less than 500 female Komodo dragons on earth.  Females prefer to mate with the largest male dragons.

Scientists have only discovered that dragons lay about twenty eggs in captivity-no one has found wild eggs.  Once hatched, young dragons must fend for themselves.

Although a person may outrun a dragon that tires easily, they are considered no match if caught by a dragon who is able to hunt and kill 1,000 pound water buffalos.

The bite of a dragon can be devastating for a human because they tear away so much flesh in one gulp.  Just as with prey, if a human survives an attack they often die later due to the bacteria infection that ensues.

by J. A. Young