Indonesia Komodo dragon

Komodo dragons are the world’s largest lizards, found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, and other tiny surrounding islands. It is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of 3 metres (10 ft) in rare cases and weighing up to around 70 kilograms. They can move surprisingly fast, easily running out of human. They wander freely around the islands and can even swim.

Because of their sizes are very big, these lizards dominate the ecosystems in which they live. Komodo dragons hunt and ambush prey including invertebrates, birds, and mammals. Their group behaviour in hunting is exceptional in the reptile world. The diet of big Komodo dragons mainly consists of deer, though they also eat considerable amounts of carrion.

Mating begins between May and August, and the eggs are laid in September. About twenty eggs are deposited in abandoned megapode nests or in a self-dug nesting hole. The eggs are incubated for seven to eight months, hatching in April, when insects are most plentiful. Young Komodo dragons are still weak and so they live in trees, safe from predators and cannibalistic adults. They take about eight to nine years to grow up, and are estimated to live for up to 30 years.

Komodo dragons were first recorded by Western scientists in 1910. Their large size and fearful reputation make them popular for zoo exhibits. In the wild, their range has contracted due to human activities and they are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. They are protected under Indonesian law. A national park, Komodo National Park, was founded to aid protection efforts.