The largest lizard in the world is the Komodo dragon. The largest lizard. What does a Komodo dragon look like?

Komodo dragon (giant Indonesian monitor, Komodo dragon) ( Varanus komodoensis) is the largest in the world. Predatory reptile belongs to the order Squamate, the superfamily of monitor lizards, the family of monitor lizards, the genus of monitor lizards. Your name komodo dragon, which is also called the “dragon of Komodo Island,” received one of its habitats.

Seasoned and strong monitor lizards can easily cope with more impressive prey: wild boars, buffalos, and goats. Often, the teeth of adult Komodo dragons fall into the teeth of livestock, those who came to water bodies to drink, or those who accidentally met on the path of this dangerous lizard.

The Komodo monitor lizard is also dangerous for humans; there are known cases of these predators attacking people. If there is not enough food, large monitor lizards can attack smaller relatives. When eating food, the Komodo dragon can swallow very large pieces due to the movable connection of the bones lower jaw and a capacious stomach, which tends to stretch.

Komodo dragon hunting

The hunting principle of the Komodo dragon is quite cruel. Sometimes a large predatory lizard attacks its prey from ambush, suddenly knocking down its “future dinner” with a powerful and sharp blow of its tail. Moreover, the force of the impact is so great that potential prey often suffers broken legs. 12 out of 17 deer die on the spot when fighting with a lizard. However, sometimes the victim manages to escape, although she may suffer severe injuries in the form of torn tendons or lacerations in the abdomen or neck, which leads to inevitable death. The venom of the monitor lizard and the bacteria contained in the reptile's saliva weaken the victim. In large prey, such as buffalo, death can occur only 3 weeks after a fight with a monitor lizard. Some sources indicate that the giant Komodo dragon will chase its prey by smell and traces of blood until it is completely exhausted. Some animals manage to escape and heal their wounds, other animals fall into the clutches of predators, and others die from wounds inflicted by the monitor lizard. An excellent sense of smell allows the Komodo dragon to smell food and the smell of blood at a distance of up to 9.5 km. And when the victim does die, monitor lizards come running to the smell of carrion to eat the dead animal.

Komodo dragon venom

Previously, it was believed that the saliva of the Komodo dragon contains only a harmful “cocktail” of pathogenic bacteria, to which the predatory lizard is immune. However, relatively recently, scientists have determined that the monitor lizard has a pair of poisonous glands located on the lower jaw and which produce special toxic proteins that cause a decrease in blood clotting, hypothermia, paralysis, and depression in the bitten victim. blood pressure and loss of consciousness. The glands have a primitive structure: they do not have canals in the teeth, like, for example, in snakes, but open at the base of the teeth with ducts. Thus, the bite of the Komodo dragon is poisonous.

The Komodo dragon is rightfully considered the largest lizard. This species was discovered by scientists who, back in early 1912, decided to fully explore the island called Komodo. They were surprised by the size of this creature, so they began to study it. They captured the largest lizards of this species with the help of local aborigines, and carried out careful research to understand how these monsters were able to survive to this day.

Research has shown that these monsters belong to a species of ancient lizards and are cold-blooded creatures. Based on external factors, scientists classified this type of lizard as a monitor lizard. If you consider where exactly these reptiles were found, it is quite understandable why they decided to call them the Komodo dragon.

Lizard sizes

It should be noted that the Komodo dragon can reach quite impressive sizes. The most mature individuals reach 2.8 meters. At the same time, their Weight Limit is about ninety kilograms. Thanks to these dimensions, the Commodian monitor lizard is considered the largest and heaviest lizard on our entire planet. In mid-1937, at an exhibition of unique creatures that took place in Missouri, a specimen of a lizard was presented that reached more than three meters in length. Her weight was one hundred and sixty-six kilograms, which simply could not help but amaze the gray hairs.

Appearance of the Lizard

By appearance The Commodian monitor resembles a cross between a lizard and a crocodile. He has a rather large mouth, which is simply strewn with sharp teeth. And his thick paws and massive tail really inspire fear in his rivals. In adult lizards, the skin is dark in color with a brown tint. And in younger individuals, the skin has a light shade with bright spots, which can sometimes smoothly turn into stripes.

It is worth noting that males can be larger than females, and they are also characterized by increased aggressiveness, which they very often show towards other males who decide to enter their territory.

Lifestyle

Lizards are diurnal. Like other cold-blooded representatives of their kind, they love to soak up the sun. These huge reptiles live in burrows, the depth of which can sometimes reach five meters. They tear them out with their large paws and thick claws. They even feed on large animals such as deer and even buffalo. From the bite of this lizard, the animal's wound begins to rot, and subsequently it dies.

The largest monitor lizard on Earth lives on the Indonesian island of Komodo. The locals nicknamed this large lizard “the last dragon” or “buaya darat”, i.e. "a crocodile crawling on the ground." There are not many Komodo dragons left in Indonesia, so since 1980 this animal has been included in the IUCN.

What does a Komodo dragon look like?

The appearance of the most gigantic lizard on the planet is very interesting - the head is like a lizard, the tail and paws are like an alligator, the muzzle is very reminiscent of a fairy-tale dragon, except that fire does not erupt from its huge mouth, but there is something bewitchingly scary in this animal. An adult Komod monitor lizard weighs over one hundred kilograms and can reach three meters in length. There are known cases when zoologists came across very large and powerful Komodo dragons, weighing one hundred and sixty kilograms.

The skin of monitor lizards is mainly gray with light spots. There are individuals with black skin color and with yellow small drops. U komodo lizard– strong, “dragon” teeth and all jagged. Just once, looking at this reptile, you can be seriously frightened, since its menacing appearance directly “screams” to be captured or killed. It's no joke, the Komodo dragon has sixty teeth.

This is interesting! If you catch a Komodo giant, the animal will become very excited. From a previously seemingly cute reptile, the monitor lizard can turn into an angry monster. He can easily, with the help of , knock down the enemy who grabbed him, and then mercilessly injure him. Therefore, it is not worth the risk.

If you look at the Komodo dragon and its small legs, you can assume that it moves slowly. However, if the Komodo monitor feels danger, or he spots a worthy victim in front of him, he will immediately try to accelerate to a speed of twenty-five kilometers per hour in a few seconds. One thing can save the victim, fast running, since monitor lizards cannot move quickly for a long time, they become very exhausted.

This is interesting! The news has repeatedly mentioned killer Komodo dragons that attacked people when they were very hungry. There was a case when large monitor lizards entered villages, and, noticing children running away from them, caught up and tore them apart. The following story also happened when a monitor lizard attacked hunters who had shot a deer and were carrying the prey on their shoulders. The monitor lizard bit one of them to take away the desired prey.

Komodo dragons are excellent swimmers. There are eyewitnesses who claim that the lizard was able to swim across the raging sea from one huge island to another within a few minutes. However, to do this, the monitor lizard needed to stop for about twenty minutes and rest, since it is known that monitor lizards get tired quickly

Origin story

People started talking about Komodo dragons at the time when, at the beginning of the 20th century, on the island. Java (Holland) received a telegram from the manager that in the Lesser Sunda Archipelago there live huge, either dragons or lizards, which scientific researchers have not yet heard of. Van Stein from Flores wrote about this, that near the island of Flores and on Komodo there lives a “land crocodile” still incomprehensible to science.

Local residents told Van Stein that monsters inhabit the entire island, they are very ferocious, and they are feared. Such monsters can reach 7 meters in length, but Komodo dragons that are four meters long are more common. Scientists from the Zoological Museum of Java decided to ask Van Stein to gather people from the island and get a lizard that European science did not yet know about.

And the expedition managed to catch a Komodo dragon, but it was only 220 cm tall. Therefore, the searchers decided, at all costs, to get the giant reptiles. And they eventually managed to bring 4 large Komodo crocodiles, each three meters, to the zoological museum.

Later, in 1912, everyone already knew about the existence of the giant reptile from the published almanac, in which a photograph of a huge lizard was printed with the caption “Komodo dragon.” After this article, Komodo dragons also began to be found in the vicinity of Indonesia, on several islands. However, only after the Sultan’s archives were studied in detail, it became known that giant foot-and-mouth disease was known as early as 1840.

It so happened that in 1914, when the World War, a group of scientists had to temporarily close the research and capture of Komodo dragons. However, 12 years later they started talking about Komodo dragons in America and called them in their own language native language"dragon comodo"

Habitat and life of the Komodo dragon

For over two hundred years now, scientists have been studying the life and habits of the Komodo dragon, and have also studied in detail what and how these creatures eat. giant lizards. It turned out that cold-blooded reptiles do nothing during the day; they are active in the morning until the sun rises and only from five in the evening they begin to look for prey. Komodo monitor lizards do not like moisture; they mainly settle where there are dry plains or live in tropical forests.

The giant Komodo reptile is initially clumsy, but can reach unprecedented speeds, up to twenty kilometers. Even alligators don't move fast like that. They also find food easy if it is at a high altitude. They calmly rise on their hind legs and, relying on their strong and powerful tail, get food. They can smell their future victim very far away. They can also smell blood at a distance of eleven kilometers and notice the victim far away, since their hearing, sight, and smell are excellent!

Monitor lizards love to treat anyone delicious meat. They won't refuse one large rodent or several, and even insects and larvae will be eaten. When all the fish and crabs are washed ashore by a storm, they are already scurrying here and there along the shore to be the first to eat the “seafood”. Monitor lizards feed mainly on carrion, but there have been cases when dragons have attacked wild sheep, water buffalo, dogs and feral goats.

Komodo dragons do not like to prepare for a hunt in advance; they stealthily attack the prey, grab it and quickly drag it to their shelter.

Reproduction of monitor lizards

Monitor lizards mate primarily warm summer, in the middle of July. Initially, the female is looking for a place where she can safely lay her eggs. She does not choose any special places; she can take advantage of the nests of wild chickens living on the island. By sense of smell, as soon as the female Komodo dragon finds the nest, she buries the eggs so that no one will find them. Nimble ones are especially greedy for dragon eggs wild boars who are accustomed to destroying birds' nests. Since the beginning of August, one female monitor lizard can lay more than 25 eggs. The weight of the eggs is two hundred grams and ten or six centimeters in length. As soon as the female monitor lizard lays her eggs, he does not leave them, but waits until her cubs hatch.

Just imagine, the female waits all eight months for the cubs to be born. Small dragon lizards are born at the end of March and can reach 28 cm in length. Small lizards do not live with their mother. They settle down to live on tall trees and there they eat what they can. Cubs are afraid of adult alien monitor lizards. Those who survived and did not fall into the tenacious clutches of hawks and snakes swarming on the tree begin to independently search for food on the ground after 2 years, when they grow up and get stronger.

Keeping monitor lizards in captivity

It is rare that giant Komodo dragons are domesticated and placed in zoos. But, surprisingly, monitor lizards quickly get used to humans, they can even be tamed. One of the representatives of the monitor lizards lived in the London Zoo, freely ate from the hands of the beholder and even followed him everywhere.

Nowadays, Komodo dragons live in national parks Rindja and Komodo Islands. They are listed in the Red Book, so hunting these lizards is prohibited by law, and according to the decision of the Indonesian committee, the capture of monitor lizards is carried out only with a special permit.

The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world, its average size is 2.5 m and its weight is 90 kg. But there are record holders whose length reaches 3 m and weight reaches 150 kg. The huge lizard lives on the Indonesian islands; it was first discovered only in 1912.

The Komodo dragon belongs to the class of reptiles, the subclass of oviparous, and the order of squamates.

To date, the largest lizard from this family is recognized male 3.13 meters long, weighing 166 kg. Curious, but huge size It is the males who reach it; females, as a rule, do not grow above 1.8 m.

The sight of a huge lizard is intimidating - a massive body covered with stone-colored skin reminiscent of chain mail, large curved teeth, a forked tongue.

Unusual hunt

Komodo lizards are carnivores, so they eat only meat. The diet of young individuals consists mainly of insects, birds, and snakes. Adult monitor lizards hunt for more satisfying victims; their prey includes forest dwellers - wild boars, buffalos, deer, etc. small mammals. There is practically nothing left of the victims - the giant does not disdain hooves, skin and other parts of carcasses that other predators do not eat.

The unusual nature of the hunt lies in the fact that these lizards are able to recognize not only the approach of the prey at a distance of several kilometers, but also sense its taste. Involved in this process forked tongue and organs of the oral cavity that can taste the air.

Large Komodo dragons are not slow, they can run at speeds of 18 km per hour and have very flexible jaw and throat muscles. This structure allows you to quickly swallow large pieces of meat. The stomach is easily and strongly stretched, even accommodates whole carcasses large animals such as pigs.

However, predatory giants rarely swallow entire carcasses. More often they prefer to immobilize the victim, then tear it into pieces and eat it. In alarming situations, the monitor lizard instantly empties its stomach to lighten its weight and escape from the enemy.

Toxicity and infectiousness

Komodo dragon – poisonous creature, the poison is secreted from glands located in the lower jaw. The poisonous secretion disrupts blood clotting, reduces blood pressure and body temperature, and causes paralysis of the victim and severe pain.

Even if the unfortunate animal receives a small dose of poison and escapes from the predator’s mouth, it is not destined to escape and survive. Lizard saliva contains more than 50 thousand species of bacteria. The bite leads to blood poisoning and inevitable death in the coming days. The predator constantly monitors the surrounding air and hurries to where the disease finishes off the victim.

The poisonous dragon rarely attacks people, but there have been cases when even children became victims. However, Komodo dragons are protected and it is forbidden to destroy them.

Facts about reproduction

Komodo dragons are capable of asexual reproduction, but only male individuals can appear in this way. Females are born only after natural fertilization.

To protect their offspring from other predators, mothers make false nests and sit there, distracting hunters. At this time, the real eggs are in a different place.

Young lizards are cunning- sensing danger, they repeatedly fall into own feces to publish bad smell. The lizards spend the first four years of their lives in trees, hiding from predators, including the monitor lizards of their family and their own parents, who no longer recognize their offspring.

Growing up to one and a half meters, young dragonets descend and begin to hunt themselves. Adulthood lasts about nine years, and the lifespan of a dragon averages thirty years. But they do not have the same vitality as .

Reptiles from ( Squamata), which includes more than 10 thousand species. They are found on everyone except . Lizards vary in size from small chameleons to the huge Komodo dragon. They usually walk on all fours. Although, some species do not have limbs and are more like snakes.

Lizards are territorial animals. Males fight among themselves for control of territory, but tolerate the presence of females. Large lizards, such as the Komodo dragon, hunt large animals such as buffalo, while smaller lizards feed on insects.

Below is a list, names, descriptions and photos of the largest living lizards in the world.

Argentine black and white tegu

Argentinian black and white tegu (Salvator merianae), also known as the giant tegu - the most great view lizards from the genus Tegu. Adult males can reach a body length of 120-140 cm. These lizards live in semi-deserts, savannah and tropical forests Central and. Tegus are capable of developing high speeds for short distances. They are one of the few lizards that can regulate their body temperature during the breeding season. They feed on insects, snails, spiders and others.

Striped monitor lizard

Striped monitor lizard, or water monitor ( Varanus salvator) is a lizard species endemic to Southeast and South Asia. These are the most common monitor lizards in Asia. Their range ranges from Northeast India, Sri Lanka, the Malay Peninsula to the islands of Indonesia. Water monitor lizards are large lizards that reach 150-200 cm in length and weigh up to 20 kg or more. They have muscular body and a powerful tail. The keen sense of smell of the striped monitor lizard helps it identify and overtake prey kilometers away.

Arizona snaketooth

White-throated monitor

White-throated monitor ( Varanus albigularis) - one of largest species lizards in . Found in the southern, eastern and central regions. The average weight of an adult varies from 3 to 5 kg in females and from 6 to 8 kg in males; large males reach 15-17 kg. Body length can reach 150-200 cm. White-throated monitor lizards prefer to live in trees away from water. They are known to be very territorial and will bite, scratch or lash with their powerful tail when threatened. Found in the deserts of South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory. The habitat consists of gorges and rocky outcrops. The giant monitor lizard prefers hard-to-reach places with minimal human intervention. Large monitor lizard can reach 250 cm in length and weight 15-20 kg. The diet of these monitor lizards consists of insects, fish, small lizards, rabbits, etc. Larger individuals hunt wombats, dingoes and kangaroos. When threatened, the perenty flees or freezes in place, which is typical for most monitor lizards.

Komodo dragon

Komodo dragon ( Varanus komodoensis) - the largest living lizard in the world; can grow up to 300 cm in length and reach a weight of about 70 kg. It is found in the Indonesian Lesser Sunda Islands such as Komodo, Flores, Padar, Rinca and Gili Motang. Komodo dragons have a long, flat head with a rounded muzzle, a huge, muscular tail, strong legs and scaly skin. They are not afraid to hunt big catch, including deer, wild boar and buffalo. Attacks on people were also reported. Komodo dragon saliva is highly poisonous and one bite is enough to kill a buffalo in less than 12 hours.