The largest lizard on earth. The Komodo dragon is the largest predator lizard

The Komodo dragon is the most big 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. It is curious, but it is the males that reach enormous sizes; 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 nutritious prey; their prey includes forest dwellers - wild boars, buffalos, deer, and smaller 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, whole carcasses predatory giants rarely swallow. 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 males can be produced 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 roll in their own feces to make sounds bad smell. The lizards spend the first four years of their lives in trees, hiding from predators, including monitor lizards of their family and 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 .

Do you believe in the existence of dragons? If not, then be sure to read our article. It may shake your confidence. Indeed, in fact, on the distant island of Komodo there lives such a large lizard that the locals confidently call it a dragon. And not only locals. The name “Komodo dragon” is scientific and is also used by professionals.

You will learn about how the largest lizards in the world live from our material.

Historical reference

These giants were first discovered in 1912 on Komodo Island. It’s easy to guess that this has something to do with the name of the large lizard.

Since then, these creatures have been the subject of scientific research. Scientists have found that the evolutionary history of this species is connected with Australia. From a historical ancestor Varanus separated about 40 million years ago and emigrated to this remote continent. For some time, giants lived in Australia and nearby islands. Later, for various reasons, monitor lizards were pushed to the islands of Indonesia, where they settled. Scientists suggest that this is due to changes in relief and seismic activity. Komodo Island itself, by the way, is also of volcanic origin. It is worth noting that the resettlement of bloodthirsty giants to the islands saved many representatives of the Australian fauna from complete extermination. The large lizard has conquered new territories and dominates there to this day.

Appearance

How big can a Komodo dragon reach? It’s hard to imagine, but the Komodo dragon lizard is comparable in size to a young crocodile.

Scientists took measurements in a sample of 12 individuals and described their external features. The monitor lizards studied reached a length of 2.25-2.6 meters, and their weight was 25-59 kilograms. But these figures are average. Several much more outstanding cases have been recorded and described. The length of some lizards reaches 3 or even more meters, and the largest known specimen weighed more than one and a half centners.

The skin of the monitor lizard is dark green, rough, often covered with small yellowish spots and leathery spines. These animals have a powerful build, strong short legs with sharp claws. At first glance, powerful jaws with large teeth reveal this animal as a fierce predator. A long and mobile forked tongue completes the picture.

Features of the view

Despite its impressive dimensions and apparent clumsiness, the dragon lizard is excellent swimmer, runner and climber. Komodo dragons are excellent tree climbers, they can even swim to the neighboring island, and on short distances no potential victim can escape from them.

The Komodo dragon is not only an excellent tactician, but also a brilliant strategist. If this predator has its eye on a prey that is too large, it may use more than just brute force. Varan knows how to wait, he is able to trail behind a dying animal for weeks, anticipating the coming feast.

How do dragons live today?

The large lizard does not like the company of its relatives and avoids them. Monitor lizards lead a solitary lifestyle, and contact with their own kind only during the mating season. These contacts are by no means limited to love pleasures. Males wage bloody battles among themselves, disputing the rights to females and territories.

These predators are diurnal, sleep at night, and hunt at dawn. Like other reptiles, Komodo dragons are cold-blooded and do not tolerate temperature changes well. And from the scorching rays of the sun they are forced to hide in the shade.

Birth of the Dragon

Many Interesting Facts about lizards are associated with the continuation of the species. After a bloody fight, which often ends with the death of one of the fighters, the winner receives the right to start a family. These animals do not form permanent families; in a year the ritual will be repeated.

The winner's chosen one lays about two dozen eggs. She guards the clutch for about eight months in order to small predators or even the closest relatives did not steal the eggs. But from birth, dragon children are deprived of maternal affection. Having hatched, they find themselves face to face with the harsh island reality and at first survive only thanks to the ability to hide.

Differences between monitor lizards of different sexes and ages

Sexual demorphism in these creatures is not very pronounced. Large sizes are characteristic of dragons of both sexes, but males are somewhat larger and more massive than females.

The cub is born inconspicuous, which helps it hide from predators and hungry relatives. Growing up, the large lizard acquires a rich color. The young have bright spots on their bright green skin, which fades with age.

Hunting

If you are interested in interesting facts about lizards, this issue requires the most careful study. On the islands there is no natural enemies, they can safely be called the top link of the food chain.

Monitor lizards hunt almost all of their neighbors. They even attack buffalos. Archaeologists who have established that the islands were inhabited several thousand years ago do not rule out that it was some species of large lizards, related to the modern Komodo dragon, that became the reason for their complete extermination.

Giant lizards do not disdain carrion. They happily feast on those thrown out by the sea. underwater inhabitants or the corpses of land animals. Cannibalism is also common.

Modern giants lead a solitary lifestyle, but when hunting they can spontaneously form bloodthirsty packs. And where their powerful muscles, teeth and claws are powerless, they use more sophisticated weapons that deserve special attention.

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About the behavioral features of these amazing creatures has been known for a long time. Scientists have found that monitor lizards sometimes bite their prey and then wander after it without showing aggression. The unfortunate animal has no chance, it weakens and slowly dies. It was once believed that the cause of the rapid spread of the deadly infection was pathogenic microflora, which settles in the oral cavity of monitor lizards while eating carrion.

But recent research has proven that this creature has poisonous glands. The venom of a monitor lizard is not as strong as that of some snakes; it cannot kill instantly. The victim dies gradually.

By the way, it’s worth mentioning one more record here. The Komodo dragon is not only the largest lizard in the world, but also the largest venomous creature.

Danger to people

The status of a rare species and mention in the Red Book raises the question of who is more dangerous to whom. Komodo dragons are rare species, hunting them is prohibited.

But one cannot count on reciprocal pacifism. There are known cases of monitor lizards attacking humans. If you do not go to the hospital in time, where the patient will be given comprehensive treatment, the poison will be neutralized and an antibiotic will be administered, there is a high risk of death. Monitor lizards are especially dangerous for children. They often attack human corpses, as a result of which it is customary on the island to protect graves with concrete slabs.

In general, humans and the largest lizard in the world coexist quite peacefully. On the islands of Komodo, Rincha, Gili Motang and Flores, unique parks are organized, where many tourists come every year to admire the unusual and amazing reptiles.

In prehistoric times, the Earth was inhabited by dinosaurs, foot-and-mouth diseases and mammoths. Climate change and evolution have led to their extinction, but recently scientists discovered a monstrous lizard in distant Indonesia, which locals call a dragon.

Amazing discovery

In 1912, a group of scientists exploring Komodo Island in Pacific Ocean, came across a wondrous monster that resembled a lizard in appearance, only of enormous size. Having caught one specimen with the help of Aboriginal hunters, they began to study the “dragon” in earnest.

The monster actually turned out to be a representative of cold-blooded reptiles. By species characteristics The reptile belongs to the group of monitor lizards. According to the place where it was found, it was called the Komodo (Komodo) or Indonesian monitor lizard. Average length reptiles – 2.5-2.8 m, and weight – up to 90 kg. This is the longest lizard on the planet. It is one of the ten largest animals on the planet. In 1937, at an exhibition in the city of San Lewis in Missouri (USA), a record specimen measuring more than 3 meters long and weighing 166 kg was presented.

Description of appearance

The Komodos “monster” resembles a hybrid of a giant lizard and a crocodile. Him developed jaw, full of sharp teeth, short thick legs and a strong tail that is equal to the length of the body. In adults, the color is dark brown with yellow speckles, while in young animals the skin has a brighter shade with light spots, sometimes turning into stripes.

Males are much larger than females, they are also stronger and more aggressive.

The most large lizard due to its size it seems awkward, but this is a deceptive impression. On its short legs, it reaches a speed of more than 20 km/h, is jumping, easily rises on its hind legs, leaning on its powerful tail, and swims well over long distances. Young lizards deftly climb trees.

The giant is distinguished by its vigilance, excellent hearing and amazing sense of smell. Its olfactory organs are located on its forked tongue, and thanks to them, the Indonesian monitor lizard can smell prey at a distance of 5 km! This is a kind of record in the animal world.

Studying “dragons,” scientists determined their age potential to be 50 years, although no one has yet met a monitor lizard older than 25 years.

Lifestyle

The largest lizard in the world is diurnal and sleeps at night. Like any cold-blooded animal, it does not tolerate temperature changes well, so it hides in the shade during the day and hunts in the morning and evening. Selects dry and sunny flat terrain or savannas. It lives in burrows up to 5 meters deep, and young foot-and-mouth mosquitoes prefer tree hollows.

These “land crocodiles” are loners. Several individuals gather only during the mating season or while eating carrion together. At the same time, the hierarchy is clearly observed in the pack. Young strong males dominate, while old men, young people and females are pushed into the background.

In its habitat, foot and mouth disease is at the top of the food chain, so it has no enemies, except that very young individuals can be threatened by snakes or large predator birds.

The victims of the Komodo reptile are large animals such as deer, buffalo, horses, wild boars, and goats. On hungry days, it does not disdain small rodents, birds, frogs, crabs, fish, even insects. There are cases of cannibalism when seasoned monitor lizards eat weaker relatives.

Dangerous predator

How does the longest lizard hunt? Most often she attacks from an ambush, with a strong blow tail knocks down the victim, breaking its legs, and inflicts laceration. After this it releases the prey. The animal dies itself within a few hours or days from poison and blood poisoning, since the saliva itself large reptile teeming with toxic bacteria. During the research, scientists identified 57 different strains in her mouth, including anthrax. Each of the bacteria in itself is very dangerous, and their bouquet, entering the blood, leaves the victim no chance. After being bitten by a Komodo dragon, death occurs in 99 out of 100 cases.

Giant foot-and-mouth diseases, smelling rot and blood, come running to the feast. They feed mainly on carrion. They very rarely tear apart prey that is still alive. These reptiles are capable of tearing off and swallowing large pieces of meat, in which they are helped by extremely sharp teeth, a powerful jaw and a stretchable stomach-bag.

Interestingly, the pus and infections of a dead animal do not harm monitor lizards, which have incredible immunity. On the contrary, they only enrich the harmful microflora of their oral cavity.

Indonesian predators can also attack people. If you don’t get it within a couple of hours after the bite medical care, then death from sepsis is inevitable. There are several documented cases of monitor lizards attacking children. It is better for women not to visit the Indonesian islands during their period, as the smell of blood excites the hunting instinct of monitor lizards, which makes them very dangerous.

Reproduction

Puberty in these reptiles it occurs very late - only at 9-10 years of life. In July-August, all sexually mature individuals gather together. Since there are 4 times more males in the population than females, mating is preceded by mating fights. The strongest one wins and gets the female.

After mating, she digs a deep hole where she lays 20-25 eggs. The lizard protects the clutch for 8 months. But when the monitor lizards hatch, she immediately leaves them. Cubs survive thanks to a strong natural instinct of self-preservation. They spend most of their time in trees, escaping from enemies, feeding on small animals and bird eggs.

Monitor lizards have such a feature as the ability to lay eggs without prior fertilization. In this case, 100% of the lizards hatch are male.

Dragons also need protection

Unique creatures are distributed over a very narrow range. They are found only on a few Indonesian islands - Komodo, Gili Motang, Flores, Rinca. A total of 5,000 of these giant lizards have been discovered. According to scientists, their numbers are slowly but steadily declining due to the development of the islands by people and poaching. To protect this unique look was created in 1980 national park"Komodo", where excursions are organized.

The animals are listed in the Red Book; hunting them is prohibited. The law says that even if a reptile attacks a person - an adult or a child, it cannot be killed! The “dragon” must be scared away, then professional huntsmen must be called to find this monster and transport it to the other end of the island.

To control the population of Komodo dragons, a special campaign was carried out, during which all found reptiles had a chip implanted in their hind paw. That's how they were counted. Experts emphasize that the largest lizard in the world will survive only in its natural environment, which requires limiting the settlement of people on the islands.

Komodo dragon- one of the most amazing reptiles on the planet. The strong, unusually agile giant lizard is also called the Komodo dragon. External resemblance with a mythical creature, the monitor lizard is provided with a huge body, a long tail and powerful bent paws.

A strong neck, massive shoulders, and small head give the lizard a militant appearance. Powerful muscles are covered with rough scaly skin. The huge tail serves as a weapon and support during hunting and showdowns with rivals.

Origin of the species and description

Varanus komodoensis is a chordate of the class of reptiles. Belongs to the order Squamate. Family and clan - monitor lizards. The only one of its kind is the Komodo dragon. First described in 1912. The giant Indonesian monitor lizard is a representative of a relict population of very large monitor lizards. They also inhabited the Pliocene period. They are 3.8 million years old.

The movement of the earth's crust 15 million years ago caused the influx of Australia into Southeast Asia. The transformation of the land allowed large Varanids to return to the territory of the Indonesian archipelago. This theory was proven by the discovery of fossils similar to the bones of V. komodoensis. The Komodo dragon actually comes from Australia, and the largest extinct lizard, Megalania, is its closest relative.

The development of the modern Komodo dragon began in Asia with the genus Varanus. 40 million years ago, giant lizards migrated to Australia, where they developed into the Pleistocene monitor lizard - Megalania. Megalania managed to achieve such an impressive size in a non-competitive food environment.

In Eurasia, remains of an extinct Pliocene species of lizard similar in size to modern Komodo dragons, Varanus sivalensis, have also been discovered. This proves that giant lizards thrived even in conditions where there was high food competition from carnivores.

Appearance and features

The Indonesian monitor lizard's body and skeletal structure resembles extinct ankylosaurs. A long, squat body elongated parallel to the ground. Strong crooked paws do not give the lizard gracefulness when running, but do not slow it down either. Lizards can run, maneuver, jump, climb trees and even stand on their hind legs.

Komodo dragons are capable of accelerating up to 40 km per hour. Sometimes they compete in speed with deer and antelope. There are many videos on the Internet where a hunting monitor lizard tracks and overtakes ungulate mammals.

The Komodo dragon has a complex coloration. The main tone of the scales is brown with complex inclusions and transitions from gray-blue to red-yellow. By color you can determine which age group refers to the lizard. In young individuals the coloring is brighter, in adults it is calmer.

Video: Komodo dragon

The head, small compared to the body, resembles a cross between the head of a crocodile and a turtle. There are small eyes on the head. A forked tongue protrudes from its wide mouth. The ears are hidden in folds of skin.

The long, powerful neck extends into the body and ends with a strong tail. An adult male can reach 3 meters, females -2.5. Weight from 80 to 190 kg. The female is lighter -70 to 120 kg. Monitor lizards move on four legs. During hunting and showdowns over possession of females and territory, they are able to stand on their hind legs. The clinch between two males can last up to 30 minutes.

Monitor lizards are hermits. They live separately and unite only during the mating period. Life expectancy in nature is up to 50 years. The Komodo dragon reaches sexual maturity at 7-9 years of age. Females do not court or care for their offspring. Their maternal instinct is enough to protect laid eggs for 8 weeks. After the birth of the offspring, the mother begins to hunt for newborns.

Where does the Komodo dragon live?

The Komodo dragon has an isolated distribution in only one part of the world, making it particularly susceptible to natural disasters. The area of ​​the habitat is small and amounts to several hundred square kilometers.

Adult Komodo dragons live mainly in tropical forests. They prefer open, flat areas with tall grasses and shrubs, but are also found in other habitats such as beaches, ridge tops and dry river beds. Young Komodo dragons live in forested areas until they are eight months old.

This species is found only in South-East Asia on the scattered islands of the Lesser Sunda Islands archipelago. The most densely populated by monitor lizards are Komodo, Flores, Gili Motang, Rinca and Padar and several other tiny islands in the surrounding area. Europeans saw the first giant lizard on Komodo Island. The discoverers of the Komodo dragon were shocked by its size and believed that the creature could fly. Hearing stories about living dragons, hunters and adventurers rushed to the island.

An armed group of people landed on the island and managed to get one monitor lizard. It turned out that it was a large lizard more than 2 meters in length. The following individuals caught reached 3 meters or more. The research results were published two years later. They refuted speculation that the animal could fly or breathe fire. The lizard was given the name Varanus komodoensis. However, another name has also been assigned to it - the Komodo dragon.

The Komodo dragon has become something of a living legend. In the decades since the discovery of Komodo, various scientific expeditions from a number of countries have conducted field studies of dragons on Komodo Island. The monitor lizards did not go unnoticed by hunters, who gradually reduced the population to a critical minimum.

What does the Komodo dragon eat?

Komodo dragons are carnivores. It was believed that they eat mainly carrion. In fact, they hunt frequently and actively. They ambush large animals. Waiting for the victim takes long time. Komodos track prey over long distances. There are cases where Komodo dragons have knocked down large ones with their tails. An acute sense of smell allows you to find food at a distance of several kilometers.

Monitor lizards eat prey by tearing large pieces of meat and swallowing them whole, while holding the carcass with their front paws. Loosely articulated jaws and expanding stomachs allow them to swallow prey whole. After digestion, the Komodo dragon disgorges the remaining bones, horns, hair and teeth of its victims from its stomach. After cleaning their stomach, monitor lizards clean their faces on grass, bushes or dirt.

The diet of the Komodo dragon is varied and includes invertebrates, other reptiles, including smaller dragons. Monitor lizards eat birds, their eggs, and small mammals. Among their victims are wild boars. Large animals such as deer, horses, etc. are also eaten. Young monitor lizards feed on insects, eggs of birds and other reptiles. Their diet also includes small mammals.

Sometimes monitor lizards attack and bite people. There are cases when they eat human corpses, digging up bodies from shallow graves. This habit of raiding graves caused the Komodo people to move graves from sandy to clay soil and place stones on them to deter the lizards.

Features of character and lifestyle

Despite its enormous height and large body mass, the Komodo dragon is a rather secretive animal. Avoids meeting people. In captivity, it does not become attached to people and demonstrates independence.

The Komodo dragon is a solitary animal. Does not form groups. Zealously guards its territory. Does not raise or protect its offspring. At the first opportunity, he is ready to feast on the baby. Prefers hot and dry places. Typically lives in open plains, savannas and tropical forests at low altitudes.

Most active during the day, although it exhibits some activity at night. Komodo dragons are solitary, only coming together to mate and eat. They are able to run fast and skillfully climb trees when young. To catch out-of-reach prey, the Komodo dragon can stand on its hind legs and use its tail as a support. Uses claws as weapons.

For shelter, it digs holes 1 to 3 m wide using its powerful front paws and claws. Because of big size and sleeping habits in burrows are able to retain body heat during the night and minimize its loss. Knows how to camouflage well. Patient. Capable of spending hours in ambush waiting for its prey.

The Komodo dragon hunts during the day but remains in the shade during the hottest part of the day. These resting areas, usually located on ridges with cool sea breezes, are marked with droppings and cleared of vegetation. They also serve as strategic ambush spots for deer.

Social structure and reproduction

Komodo dragons do not form pairs, do not live in groups, and do not form communities. They prefer an exclusively isolated lifestyle. They carefully protect their territory from their relatives. Other members of their species are perceived as enemies.

Mating in this species of lizard occurs in the summer. From May to August, males fight for females and territory. Fierce fights sometimes end in the death of one of the opponents. An opponent pinned to the ground is considered defeated. The fight takes place on the hind legs.

During battle, monitor lizards may empty their stomachs and defecate to lighten the body and improve maneuverability. Lizards also use this technique when running away from danger. The winner begins courtship with the female. In September, females are ready to lay eggs. However, in order to have offspring, females do not have to have a male.

Komodo dragons exhibit parthenogenesis. Females can lay unfertilized eggs without the participation of males. Only male cubs develop in them. Scientists suggest that this is how new colonies appear on islands previously free from monitor lizards. After tsunamis and storms, females, washed up on deserted islands by the waves, begin to lay eggs in the complete absence of males.

Female Komodo dragons choose bushes, sand and caves for laying. They camouflage their nests from predators who are ready to feast on monitor lizard eggs, and from the monitor lizards themselves. Incubation period The laying period is 7–8 months. Young reptiles spend most of their time in trees, where they are relatively protected from predators, including adult monitor lizards.

Natural enemies of Komodo dragons

In its natural environment, the monitor lizard has no enemies or competitors. The length and weight of the lizard make it practically invulnerable. The only and unsurpassed enemy of a monitor lizard can only be another monitor lizard.

Monitor lizards are cannibals. As observations of the life of the reptile have shown, 10% of the diet of the Komodo dragon consists of its relatives. In order to feast on its own kind, a giant lizard does not need a reason to kill. Fights between monitor lizards are not uncommon. They can begin because of territorial claims, because of the female, or simply because the monitor lizard has not obtained other food. All clarifications of relationships within the species end in bloody drama.

As a rule, older and experienced monitor lizards attack younger and weaker ones. The same thing happens with newborn lizards. Small monitor lizards can become food for their mothers. However, nature took care of protecting the monitor lizard cubs. Teenage monitor lizards spend the first few years of their lives in trees, hiding from their stronger and stronger brothers of the species.

In addition to the monitor lizard itself, it is threatened by two more serious enemies: natural disasters and man. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions seriously affect the Komodo dragon population. Disaster can destroy the population of a small island in a matter of hours.

For almost a century, man mercilessly exterminated the dragon. People from all over the world flocked to hunt the giant reptile. As a result, the animal population has been brought to a critical level.

Population and species status

Information on the population size and distribution of Varanus komodoensis has until recently been limited to early reports or surveys conducted over only part of the species' range. The Komodo dragon is a vulnerable species. Listed in the Red Book. The vulnerability of the species is due to poaching and tourism. Commercial interest in animal skins has put the species at risk of extinction.

According to World Animal Fund estimates, the number of Komodo dragons in wildlife is 6000 lizards. The population is under protection and supervision. To preserve the species, a national park was created on the Lesser Sunda Islands. Park staff can accurately say how many lizards are in this moment on each of the 26 islands.

The largest colonies live on:

• Komodo -1700;
• Rinche -1300;
• Gili Motange-1000;
• Flores - 2000.

But it’s not just people who influence the state of the species. The habitat itself poses a serious threat. Volcanic activity, earthquakes, and fires make the lizard’s traditional habitat unsuitable for life. In 2013, the total population in the wild was estimated at 3,222 individuals, in 2014 - 3,092, in 2015 - 3,014.

A number of measures taken to increase the population have almost doubled the number of the species, but according to experts, this figure is still critically small.

Protection of Komodo dragons

People have taken a number of measures to protect and enhance the species. Hunting the Komodo dragon is prohibited by law. Some islands are closed to visitors. Protected areas from tourists have been organized where komodo lizards can live and reproduce in their natural habitat and atmosphere.

Understanding the importance of dragons and the state of the population as an endangered species, the Indonesian government issued a regulation to protect the lizards on Komodo Island in 1915. Indonesian authorities have decided to close the island to visitors.

The island is part national park. Measures to isolate it will help increase the population of the species. However, the final decision on stopping tourist access to Komodo must be made by the governor of East Nusa Tenggara province.

Authorities have not said how long Komodo will be closed to visitors and tourists. At the end of the isolation period, conclusions will be drawn about the effectiveness of the measure and the need to continue the experiment. In the meantime, unique monitor lizards are bred in captivity.

Zoologists have learned how to save Komodo dragon masonry. Eggs laid in the wild are collected and placed in incubators. Ripening and growing take place on mini-farms, where conditions close to natural are created. Individuals that are stronger and able to defend themselves are returned to natural environment a habitat. Currently, giant lizards have appeared outside of Indonesia. They can be found in more than 30 zoos around the world.

The threat of losing one of the most unique and rare animals is so great that the Indonesian government is ready to take the most extreme measures. Closing part of the islands of the archipelago may alleviate the plight of the Komodo dragon, but isolation is not enough. To save Indonesia's top predator from humans, it is necessary to protect its habitat, stop hunting it and gain the support of local residents.

In December 1910, the Dutch administration on the island of Java from the administrator of the island of Flores (by civil cases) Stein van Hensbrouck received information that on the outlying islands of the Lesser Sunda archipelago there are no known to science giant creatures.

Van Stein's report stated that in the vicinity of Labuan Badi on Flores Island, as well as on nearby Komodo Island, there lives an animal that the local natives call "buaya-darat", which means "earth crocodile".

Komodo dragons are one of the species potentially dangerous to humans, although they are less dangerous than crocodiles or sharks and do not pose a direct danger to adults.

According to local residents, some monsters reach seven meters in length, and three- and four-meter buaya darats are common. The curator of the Butsnzorg Zoological Museum at the Botanical Park of West Java Province, Peter Owen, immediately entered into correspondence with the manager of the island and asked him to organize an expedition in order to obtain a reptile unknown to European science.

This was done, although the first lizard caught was only 2 meters 20 centimeters long. Hensbroek sent her skin and photographs to Owens. In the accompanying note, he said that he would try to catch a larger specimen, although this would not be easy, since the natives were terrified of these monsters. Convinced that the giant reptile was not a myth, the zoological museum sent an animal capture specialist to Flores. As a result, the staff of the zoological museum managed to obtain four specimens of “earthen crocodiles,” two of which were almost three meters long.

In 1912 Peter Owen published in the Bulletin botanical garden an article about the existence of a new species of reptile, naming an animal previously unknown to the spider Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis Ouwens). It later turned out that giant monitor lizards are found not only on Komodo, but also on the small islands of Rytya and Padar, lying to the west of Flores. A careful study of the archives of the Sultanate showed that this animal was mentioned in the archives dating back to 1840.

The First World War forced a halt to research, and only 12 years later did interest in the Komodo dragon resume. Now the main researchers of the giant reptile are US zoologists. In English this reptile became known as komodo dragon(comodo dragon). The expedition of Douglas Barden managed to catch a living specimen for the first time in 1926. In addition to two living specimens, Barden also brought 12 stuffed specimens to the United States, three of which are on display at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

RESERVED ISLANDS

Indonesian Komodo National Park, protected by UNESCO, was founded in 1980 and includes a group of islands with adjacent warm waters And coral reefs with an area of ​​more than 170 thousand hectares.
The islands of Komodo and Rinca are the largest in the reserve. Of course, the main celebrity of the park is the Komodo dragon. However, many tourists come here to see the unique terrestrial and underwater flora and fauna of Komodo. There are about 100 species of fish here. There are about 260 species of reef corals and 70 species of sponges in the sea.
The national park is also home to animals such as the maned sambar, Asian water buffalo, wild boar, and cynomolgus macaque.

It was Barden who established the true size of these animals and refuted the myth of seven-meter giants. It turned out that males rarely exceed a length of three meters, and females are much smaller, their length is no more than two meters.

One bite is enough

Many years of research have made it possible to thoroughly study the habits and lifestyle of giant reptiles. It turned out that Komodo dragons, like other cold-blooded animals, are active only from 6 to 10 am and from 3 to 5 pm. They prefer dry, well-sunny areas, and are usually associated with arid plains, savannas and dry tropical forests.

In the hot season (May - October) they often stick to dry river beds with jungle-covered banks. Young animals can climb well and spend a lot of time in trees, where they find food, and in addition, they hide from their adult relatives. Giant monitor lizards are cannibals, and adults, on occasion, will not miss the opportunity to feast on their smaller relatives. As shelter from heat and cold, monitor lizards use burrows 1-5 m long, which they dig with strong paws with long, curved and sharp claws. Tree hollows often serve as shelters for young monitor lizards.

Komodo dragons, despite their size and external clumsiness, are good runners. Over short distances, reptiles can reach speeds of up to 20 kilometers, and over long distances their speed is 10 km/h. To reach food at a height (for example, on a tree), monitor lizards can stand on their hind legs, using their tail as a support. Reptiles have good hearing and sharp eyesight, but their most important sense organ is smell. These reptiles are able to smell carrion or blood at a distance of even 11 kilometers.

Most of the monitor lizard population lives in the western and northern parts of the Flores Islands - about 2000 specimens. On Komodo and Rinca there are approximately 1000 each, and on the smallest islands of the group, Gili Motang and Nusa Koda, there are only 100 individuals.

At the same time, it was noticed that the number of monitor lizards has fallen and individuals are gradually becoming smaller. They say that the decline in the number of wild ungulates on the islands due to poaching is to blame, so monitor lizards are forced to switch to smaller food.

In the photo m A young Komodo dragon near the carcass of an Asian water buffalo. The power of the jaws of monitor lizards is fantastic. Without effort, they open the victim's chest, cutting through the ribs like a huge can opener.

GAD BROTHERHOOD

From modern species Only the Komodo dragon and the crocodile monitor attack prey significantly larger than itself. The crocodile monitor's teeth are very long and almost straight. This is an evolutionary adaptation for successful bird feeding (breaking through dense plumage). They also have serrated edges, and the teeth of the upper and lower jaws can act like scissors, making it easier for them to dismember prey in the tree where they spend most of their lives.

Venomtooths are poisonous lizards. Today there are two known types of them - the gila monster and the escorpion. They live primarily in the southwestern United States and Mexico in rocky foothills, semi-deserts and deserts. Toothworts are most active in the spring, when their favorite food, bird eggs, appears. They also feed on insects, small lizards and snakes. The poison is produced by the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands and travels through the ducts to the teeth of the lower jaw. When biting, the teeth of the poisonous teeth - long and curved back - enter the body of the victim almost half a centimeter.

The menu of monitor lizards includes a wide variety of animals. They eat practically everything: large insects and their larvae, crabs and storm-washed fish, rodents. And although monitor lizards are born scavengers, they are also active hunters, and large animals often become their prey: wild boars, deer, dogs, domestic and feral goats, and even the largest ungulates of these islands - Asian water buffalos.
Giant monitor lizards do not actively pursue their prey, but more often hide it and grab it when it approaches at close range.

When hunting large animals, reptiles use very intelligent tactics. Adult monitor lizards, emerging from the forest, slowly move towards grazing animals, stopping from time to time and crouching to the ground if they feel that they are attracting their attention. They can knock down wild boars and deer with a blow of their tail, but more often they use their teeth - inflicting a single bite on the animal’s leg. This is where success lies. After all, now the “biological weapon” of the Komodo dragon has been launched.

Reptiles have good hearing and sharp eyesight, but their most important sense organ is smell.

It has long been believed that the prey is ultimately killed by pathogens found in the monitor lizard's saliva. But in 2009, scientists found that in addition to the “deadly cocktail” of pathogenic bacteria and viruses found in saliva, to which monitor lizards themselves have immunity, reptiles are poisonous.

The Komodo dragon has two venom glands in its lower jaw that produce toxic proteins. When these proteins enter the victim's body, they prevent blood clotting, lower blood pressure, promote muscle paralysis and the development of hypothermia. The whole thing leads the victim to shock or loss of consciousness. The venom gland of Komodo dragons is more primitive than that of poisonous snakes. The gland is located on the lower jaw under the salivary glands, its ducts open at the base of the teeth, and do not exit through special channels in the poisonous teeth, like in snakes.

In the oral cavity, poison and saliva mix with decaying food debris, forming a mixture in which many different deadly bacteria multiply. But this is not what surprised scientists, but the poison delivery system. It turned out to be the most complex of all similar systems in reptiles. Instead of injecting it with one blow with its teeth, like poisonous snakes, monitor lizards have to literally rub it into the wound of the victim, making jerks with their jaws. This evolutionary invention helped giant monitor lizards exist for thousands of years.

After a successful attack, time begins to work for the reptile, and the hunter is left to follow the heels of the victim all the time. The wound does not heal, the animal becomes weaker every day. After two weeks, even such a large animal as a buffalo has no strength left, its legs give way and it falls. It's time for a feast for the monitor lizard. He slowly approaches the victim and rushes at him. His relatives come running to the smell of blood. In feeding areas, fights often occur between equal males. As a rule, they are cruel, but not deadly, as evidenced by the numerous scars on their bodies.

Who is next?

For humans, a huge head covered like a shell, with unkind, unblinking eyes, a toothy gaping mouth, from which protrudes a forked tongue, constantly in motion, a lumpy and folded body of a dark brown color on strong splayed paws with long claws and a massive tail. is the living embodiment of the image of extinct monsters of distant eras. One can only be amazed how such creatures could survive today practically unchanged.

The only known representative of large reptiles is Megalania prisca sizes from 5 to 7 m and weight 650-700 kg

Paleontologists believe that 5-10 million years ago, the ancestors of the Komodo dragon appeared in Australia. This assumption fits well with the fact that the only known representative of large reptiles is Megalania prisca measuring from 5 to 7 m and weighing 650-700 kg was found on this continent. Megalania, and the full name of the monstrous reptile can be translated from Latin language, as a “great ancient vagabond,” preferred, like the Komodo dragon, to settle in grassy savannas and sparse forests, where he hunted mammals, including very large ones, such as diprodonts, various reptiles and birds. These were the largest poisonous creatures that ever existed on Earth.

Fortunately, these animals became extinct, but their place was taken by the Komodo dragon, and now it is these reptiles that attract thousands of people to come to the islands forgotten by time to see the last representatives of the ancient world in natural conditions.

Indonesia has 17,504 islands, although these numbers are not definitive. The Indonesian government has set itself the difficult task of conducting a complete audit of all Indonesian islands without exception. And who knows, maybe after its completion there will still be open known to people animals, although not as dangerous as Komodo dragons, but certainly no less amazing!