![KOMODO DRAGON (Varanus komodoensis) ©FWNP.com
A member of the monitor lizard family, the Komodo Dragon is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum of length 3 metres (9.8 ft) in rare cases and weighing up to around 70 kilograms (150 lb).
Their unusual size has been attributed to island gigantism, since there are no other carnivorous animals to fill the niche on the islands where they live. However, recent research suggests that the large 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 died out after the Pleistocene.
Here’s a paragraph for the books:
Copious amounts of red saliva that the Komodo dragons produce help to lubricate their food, but swallowing is still a long process (15–20 minutes to swallow a goat). A Komodo dragon may attempt to speed up the process by ramming the carcass against a tree to force it down its throat, sometimes ramming so forcefully that the tree is knocked down. [Fortunately their metabolism is so slow they need only eat 12 times a year]
Fact Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon
Other photos you may enjoy:
Komodo dragons can reproduce through self-fertilization - this is an amazing piece
The world’s biggest Skink
Snoozing Iguana
—-
rhamphotheca:
zolanimals: Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkhj8sl7dz1qitkrlo1_500.jpg)
KOMODO DRAGON (Varanus komodoensis) ©FWNP.com
A member of the monitor lizard family, the Komodo Dragon is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum of length 3 metres (9.8 ft) in rare cases and weighing up to around 70 kilograms (150 lb).
Their unusual size has been attributed to island gigantism, since there are no other carnivorous animals to fill the niche on the islands where they live. However, recent research suggests that the large 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 died out after the Pleistocene.
Here’s a paragraph for the books:
Copious amounts of red saliva that the Komodo dragons produce help to lubricate their food, but swallowing is still a long process (15–20 minutes to swallow a goat). A Komodo dragon may attempt to speed up the process by ramming the carcass against a tree to force it down its throat, sometimes ramming so forcefully that the tree is knocked down. [Fortunately their metabolism is so slow they need only eat 12 times a year]
Fact Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon
Other photos you may enjoy:
Komodo dragons can reproduce through self-fertilization - this is an amazing piece
—-
zolanimals: Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
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Katahati, I love komodos too! I have them in my tracked tags actually…
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He’s so pretty.
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©FWNP.com A member of the monitor lizard family, the Komodo Dragon is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a...
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Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis)
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