A lizard is an animal that belongs to the class of reptiles (reptiles). To date, almost 6,000 species are known. Representatives of families can differ greatly; some rare species are listed in the Red Book. Lizards are both reptiles with legs and some legless forms. Reptiles can be vegetarians and eat animal foods. Some varieties are suitable for keeping at home.

Show all

Description

Unlike snakes, these reptiles have divided eyelids. Their body is elastic, elongated, ending in a long tail. Paws are proportional, clawed.

According to general characteristics, the body is covered with keratinized scales, which change several times a year. The tongue may have different shapes, it is usually mobile and extends from the mouth. It is with them that lizards catch prey. On both sides of the head are the hearing organs, which are covered by the eardrums.

Real lizard

The most common reptile is the true lizard. Her body length is 40 cm.

Teeth are used for tearing and grinding food. Monitor lizards use them to cut up their prey.

The only poisonous species of lizard is the poison tooth.



Reptiles live on all continents except Antarctica. Representatives familiar to Russia - real lizards - live almost everywhere. All species move on different surfaces, clinging tightly to uneven surfaces. Rock lizards are excellent jumpers, their jump height reaches 4 m.

Tail

Lizards are capable of autotomy, which is used in case of danger: muscle contraction allows you to break the cartilaginous formations of the vertebrae and discard part of the tail, narrowing the blood vessels, resulting in blood loss almost never happens. This distracts the enemy, and the animal avoids the attack.

The reptile's tail quickly recovers in a shortened form. Sometimes not one, but several grow back.



Color

Lizards have a color that combines green, white, gray and brown colors. Species that live in the desert exactly repeat the hue of the surrounding area. This is their defense mechanism.

Desert species are capable of changing body color. These include the calot, a reptile with a red head. Among reptiles there are albinos - these are lizards white devoid of pigment.



The gigantic lizard is black and yellow in color.



Giant lizard

Salamanders are black with yellow spots.



Salamander

Geckos have special colors. Some of them pink color with a blue tail.





Floor

There are a number of signs that allow you to roughly determine gender. You can distinguish a male from a femaleonly in adulthood, as sexual dimorphism developslate.

Males of some species are described as having a ridge on their back and head and large pores on their thighs. Another feature of the male is spurs on his paws.

The sex of certain species can be determined by the throat “bags”, preanal scutes and enlarged scales behind the cloaca.

However, only a blood test for testosterone levels will help to accurately distinguish a male from a female. It is done at the veterinary clinic.

Varieties

Lizard species are divided into 6 infraorders, which consist of 37 families.

Each of them has its own characteristics.

Skinks

The order includes 7 families with the following names:

• real lizards;
• night lizards;
• Gerrosaurs;
• skinks;
• Teiids;
• belttails;
• Gymophthalmides.



Large Gerrosaurus

Iguanas

The order consists of 14 families. Some of the representatives of these lizards are true iguanas. This large reptiles, which can reach a length of 2 m. They live mainly in tropical forests.

A striking representative of the order is also the chameleon, which inhabits Africa, Madagascar, Eastern countries, and the USA. Its peculiarity lies in the ability to change skin color depending on the environment.



Chameleon

In the forests of Cameroon there is a four-horned chameleon, which got its name because of the characteristic growths on its head. Males can only develop three “horns”; females usually do not have them.

Gecko-like

The order consists of 7 families.

Its representative can be called the scalefish, which lives in Australia.



Scalelegs

Fusiformes

The order includes 2 superfamilies and 5 families.

These include monitor lizards, earless monitor lizards, spindle monitors, legless monitor lizards, and xenosaurs.

Large xenosaur

Vermiformes

The order consists of 2 genera and a family of worm-like lizards, which externally resemble worms.

They inhabit Indonesia, China, New Guinea, Philippines.



Worm-like lizard

Monitor lizards

The order includes several families, which consist of the largest lizards.

Typical representatives are the monitor lizard and the poisonous tooth, which are found in the USA and Mexico.



Komodo dragon

Lizard suborder

The order includes the superfamily Shinisaurus.

It includes one species, the crocodile shinisaurus.



Crocodile Shinisaurus

Record holders

Of the existing representatives of lizards, the largest is the Komodo dragon. Some individuals have enormous dimensions, reaching three meters in length and a weight of 85 kg in adulthood. A monitor lizard weighing 91.7 kg is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. These reptiles eat small animals, but can also attack larger prey. The Komodo dragon feeds on wild boars, wild goats, and cattle.

The smallest lizards in the world are the Haraguana sphero and the Virginia round-toed gecko. Their dimensions do not exceed 19 mm, weight - 0.2 g.

Domestic species

Various geckos are especially popular among owners.



Pink with gray tail hemiteconix

If you need a calm pet for children, it is better to gethemiteconyx. They have different colors depending on the breed. They accumulate in their tail nutrients, which they use as a reserve in the absence of food. Because of this, the tail appears gray, while the body is most often pink. This is a reptile with a very expressive look.



Felzuma

If you want to keep it at homeIf the animal is more active, you can choose felsuma. She has a beautiful emerald color. You can watch her during daylight hours.

At home they also keep varieties of agamas. The most popular of them are bearded and woody. The first received its name due to the neck pouch, which, when frightened or in mating season stretches and darkens. The tree or black-throated agama is also capable of changing skin tone. Such pets are reluctant to make contact with the owner and prefer to hide.



Many lizards eat insects. They prefer a variety of crickets, mealworms, and will not refuse raw eggs or pieces of meat, a mixture of chopped boiled chicken, carrots and lettuce.

The food is supplemented with vitamins and minerals. A terrarium for home maintenance must have water. If the pet refuses food but drinks, there is no reason to worry: the lizard has simply decreased its activity and is not hungry.

Reproduction

The mating season occurs in spring and summer. Large species reproduce once a season, small ones - several times a year. Males conflict, approach each other from the side, trying to look bigger. The small one gives up without a fight and retreats.

If the males are the same size, a fight ensues between them, during which they use their teeth. The winner gets the right to the female. In some species, an imbalance in the sex ratio leads to parthenogenesis - females lay eggs without the participation of males. Lizards have two types of reproduction: viviparity and egg laying.

Females of small reptiles lay no more than 4 eggs, large ones - up to 18. The weight of one varies from 4 to 200 g. The size of the round-toed gecko egg is no more than 6 mm in diameter. In the monitor lizard it reaches 10 cm in length.

The females bury the clutches in the ground and hide them in burrows. Incubation period lasts from 3 weeks to one and a half months. It depends on the climate. Having hatched, the cubs begin an independent life.

Pregnancy lasts 3 months, embryos northern species overwinter in the womb. Their lifespan does not exceed 5 years.

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 lives so big lizard that the locals confidently call her 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 background

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 object 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 of a sample of 12 individuals and described them external features. The studied monitor lizards 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 meters or even more, 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 sun rays forced to hide in the shadows.

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 exclude the possibility 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.

I

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, one more record is worth mentioning 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 unusual and amazing reptiles.

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 to mythical creature The monitor lizard is provided with a huge body, a long tail and powerful bent legs.

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. Puberty in the Komodo dragon it occurs 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 primarily 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 Southeast 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. 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. It takes a long time to wait for a victim. 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, 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 large 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 summer time. 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 begin to lay eggs when complete absence 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. The incubation period of the clutch 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. Natural disaster can destroy the population of a small island within 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 currently 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 uninhabitable. 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. Areas protected from tourists have been organized where Komodo lizards can live and breed 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 of a national park. Measures to isolate it will help increase the population of the species. However final decision The governor of East Nusa Tenggara province must decide to stop tourists' access to Komodo.

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 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.

100 great records of wildlife Nepomnyashchiy Nikolai Nikolaevich

THE WORLD'S LARGEST LIZARD - THE KOMODO ISLAND LIZARD

The most large lizard, reaching 4 m in length and weight 180 kg. It feeds mainly on carrion, but also attacks ungulates.

The unique Komodo National Park is known throughout the world, is protected by UNESCO 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. Their main attraction is "dragons" giant monitor lizards, found nowhere else on the planet.

FROM THE HISTORY OF DISCOVERY

In 1912, a pilot made an emergency landing on Komodo, an island 30 km long and 20 km wide, located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores, part of the Sunda archipelago. Komodo is almost entirely covered with mountains and dense tropical vegetation, and its only inhabitants were exiles, once subjects of the Sumbawa Rajah. The pilot told amazing things about his stay in this tiny exotic world: he saw huge, terrible dragons there, four meters in length, which, according to local residents, devour pigs, goats and deer, and sometimes attack horses. Of course, no one believed a word he said.

However, some time later, Major P.-A. Owens, director of the Butensorg Botanical Garden, proved that these giant reptiles do exist. In December 1918, Owens, who set himself the goal of learning the secret of the Komodo monsters, wrote to the manager of the island of Flores on civil cases van Stein. Residents of the island told that in the vicinity of Labuan Badio, as well as on the nearby island of Komodo, there lives a “buaya-darat”, that is, an “earth crocodile”.

Van Stein became interested in their message and firmly decided to find out as much as possible about this curious animal, and if he was lucky, then get one individual. When his service brought him to Komodo, he received the information he was interested in from two local pearl fishers - Koka and Aldegon. They both claimed that among the giant lizards there were specimens six or even seven meters in length, and one of them even boasted that he had personally killed several of these lizards.

During his stay on Komodo, van Stein was not as successful as his new acquaintances. Nevertheless, he managed to obtain a specimen 2 m 20 cm long, the skin and photograph of which he sent to Major Owens. IN cover letter he reported that he would try to catch a larger specimen, although this would not be easy: the natives were afraid of the teeth of these monsters, as well as the blows of their terrible tails, like death.

Then the Butensorg Zoological Museum hastily sent him a Malay specialist in animal capture to help. However, van Stein was soon transferred to Timor and was unable to participate in the hunt for the mysterious dragon, which this time ended successfully. Raja Ritara put hunters and dogs at the disposal of the Malay, and he was lucky enough to catch four “land crocodiles” alive, and two of them turned out to be quite good specimens: their length was a little less than three meters. And some time later, according to van Stein, some Sergeant Becker shot a four-meter-long specimen.

In these monsters, witnesses of bygone eras, Owens easily recognized monitor lizards large variety. He described this species in the Bulletin of the Butensorg Botanical Garden, calling it Varanus komodensis.

Later it turned out that this huge dragon is also found on the tiny islands of Ritya and Padar, lying to the west of Flores. Finally, it became known that this beast was mentioned in the Bim archives dating back to around 1840.

Famous German hunter who killed many lions, tigers and others in his life dangerous predators, died on Komodo Island during unclear circumstances. He went to photograph a flock of monitor lizards and did not return. On the shore of the swamp, only his shoes and a mangled movie camera were found.

It is possible that he became convinced the hard way about the authenticity of the existence of relic creatures.

Today, the Komodo dragon is kept in many zoos around the world, and everyone has the opportunity to verify its incredible gluttony by watching how it indulges in gluttony. In this regard, it is noteworthy that the name "Komodo" means "island of rats", but today there is not a single rat left on rat island...

DRAGONS OF KOMODO ISLAND

Actually, dragons are fantastic creatures. There is no such animal in nature, however, this is the name given to the giant monitor lizards that live today on the Indonesian island of Komodo and some other small nearby islands. The local population calls them "ora". It is believed that there are somewhere around 5,000 of them on all the islands where they live.

Of course, giant monitor lizards are of great interest to tourists visiting Indonesia. It’s one thing to look at a small, cute, nimble lizard and quite another to look at a giant one. Thousands of tourists specially come to Komodo National Park to see this miracle of nature. Accompanied by guides, they can see the legendary dragons.

Komodo Island is located in the Lesser Sunda Islands group, and to get to it, you need to swim across the treacherous Seip Strait. Tourists are prohibited from walking around the park on their own. The reason for this strictness is simple: you can be eaten. In addition, the places where you can meet the dragon are known only to park rangers.

Dragons are no joke. They have a disgusting reputation: they cannot be tamed and do not distinguish between humans and deer - both are just food for them. True, they say that in private the caretakers treat them quite familiarly: they caress them and sometimes even ride them on horseback.

Perhaps monitor lizards used to feed on dwarf elephants when they were still found here. Now the objects of their hunt are buffalo, deer, wild goats and pigs, which settled on the islands in a later period. But the reptiles themselves are not threatened by anyone, except humans, of course, and... brothers. Yes, dragons are cannibals.

Today, Komodo dragons are endangered. Until 1993, 280 dragons were killed by humans. During the same time, the dragons killed and wounded 12 people.

Local residents living in houses on stilts sometimes get caught in the teeth of monitor lizards waiting below. You can die from a minor bite. The dragon's saliva is deadly saturated poisonous species bacteria, and most animals bitten by dragons, even if they manage to escape, quickly die from blood poisoning.

All types of animals belonging to “dragons” have always attracted human attention. Therefore, it is not surprising that in Komodo, 700 km away from the island of Borneo, a kind of show with dragons is held every two weeks, which is attended by thousands of thrill-seekers.

The main attraction of the park on Komodo Island is feeding the dragons. To look at this, tourists sit on the observation deck located on elevated place over dried up river. Some people consider monitor lizards to be ugly animals, but they are even beautiful in their own way. Their lumpy skin is somewhat reminiscent of chain mail. But the mouths of giant lizards are truly terrifying. They are filled with rows of sharp, jagged teeth, between which a forked tongue slides.

The dragons slowly turn their heads, looking at the curious bipeds with their unblinking black eyes. On days when monitor lizards are not fed, their gaze has such an effect on tourists that the number of people to look at them during feeding is significantly reduced. It's getting kind of scary. Usually, in order not to injure curious tourists, the goats are thrown to the monitor lizards already killed. Clumsily crawling over each other, huge lizards rush to the goat’s carcass and begin to fight for a piece of meat. There is no particular noise, except for the audible exhalation of reptiles, which means a warning to the opponent: “Move back! This is mine!

Monitor lizards are the only reptiles (besides turtles) that, before eating their prey, tear it into pieces, holding it with their powerful paws. Their teeth, 2 cm in size, are perfectly adapted for this purpose. Each tooth looks like a curved scalpel with a dozen notches. Having had their fill, monitor lizards find shade and fall into a dormant state.

In the wild, they usually live isolated from each other; they sleep in bushes, under trees, or dig holes for themselves. Adult animals have their own territories.

At short distances, monitor lizards can run very quickly, even catching up with deer. However, when chasing prey, adult individuals quickly get tired and are forced to stop. Therefore, they prefer to wait for her in ambush, lying in tall grass or bushes. Having noticed prey, monitor lizards creep up to it as close as possible, after which a sharp throw follows.

But once the sun sets, the monitor lizard is unrecognizable. He falls into such a deep sleep that he becomes completely safe. At this time, you can touch it and even attach plastic tags to your fingers and measure your body temperature.

Scientists say that it is almost impossible to distinguish between a female and a male. In general, information about the physiology and reproductive behavior of dragons is based only on assumptions. Scientists debated about their sex life for several decades, but it was only in 1986 that two Australian researchers finally solved this problem. They described in detail the process of courtship between a male and a female. United couples live together for a long time, but rarely their entire lives.

For a number of reasons, tourists do not have the opportunity to observe the life of monitor lizards for a long time. The monitor lizards feeding is the only thing he can see. Some scientists are against such a spectacular event in Komodo National Park, believing that human feeding of monitor lizards could ultimately affect their behavior in nature. However, something needs to attract tourists, even if not all of them can stand the spectacle.

Are monitor lizards smart animals? Some scientists are still inclined to answer this question positively. One day, one of the attendants accompanying a group of tourists on a day when monitor lizards are not fed bleated like a goat. The monitor lizards immediately fixed their unblinking gaze on the source of the sound. But when the caretaker tried to attract their attention the next time in the same way, he did not succeed. The monitor lizards did not even turn their heads, realizing that it was not a goat screaming.

Komodo dragons have long proven that it is always better to be more careful with them.

PAPUA DRAGON AND MEGALANIA PRISCA

WITH late XIX centuries and to this day, many eyewitnesses from the eastern, Papuan, part of New Guinea, as well as from New South Wales and Queensland in Australia, describe huge, dragon-like creatures with an oblong body and a long, flat tail. They look like monitor lizards, but their length, according to stories, is about 8 m. For comparison, let's say that the dragon from Komodo Island, the largest of existing species lizards, rarely longer than 3 m.

For many years, zoologists did not believe these reports, but in 1980, a scientific expedition led by John Blashford-Snell caught a living Papuan dragon, called “Artrellia.” It was still a very young specimen, only 1.87 m long. But it turned out that it belongs to a species that is already known to science - Varanus salvadorii.

By that time it was already known that this species could reach longer length than the Komodo dragon: the largest specimen described was a 4.75 m long male discovered by researcher Michael Pope.

But he was not as powerful and strong as the Komodo dragon, and therefore the latter is still considered the largest lizard in the world. However, now that the existence of artrelia has turned out to be a reality, eyewitness reports of giant Papua dragons may be confirmed.

Since it is unknown whether this species exists in Australia itself, some zoologists have found similarities between the dragons allegedly seen here and the giant Australian lizard Megalania prisca, which is believed to be extinct. Could it still exist?

Until now, the physical resemblance between the mysterious Australian dragon and Megalania supported this belief, but today an examination of the skeletal remains reveals that Megalania most likely has a noticeable crest on its head. This feature has never been mentioned by those who have reported sightings of the giant lizard in Australia. Therefore, Megalania may still be a different species of reptile.

From the book Newest book facts. Volume 1 [Astronomy and astrophysics. Geography and other earth sciences. Biology and Medicine] author

Which railway station is the largest in the world? The largest train station in the world is Grand Central Station in New York. Trains arrive and leave every two minutes. Half a million pass through the station every day

From the book Crossword Guide author Kolosova Svetlana

What is the largest venomous snake in the world? The largest venomous snake is the king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), also known as the hamadryad, which lives in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Its length reaches 5.5 meters. The king cobra (locally called naya) is a good climber.

From the book 100 Great Wildlife Records author Nepomnyashchiy Nikolai Nikolaevich

What is the largest snake in the world? The largest (in other words, the longest and thickest) snakes are found among non-venomous ones. The largest modern snake is the anaconda (Eunectes murinus), which lives along the banks of rivers, lakes and swamps in Brazil and Guiana. The length of an anaconda can reach

From the book The Newest Book of Facts. Volume 1. Astronomy and astrophysics. Geography and other earth sciences. Biology and medicine author Kondrashov Anatoly Pavlovich

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 mesmerizingly scary about 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 and yellow small drops. The Komodo lizard has strong, “dragon” teeth, all serrated. 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 inflict injuries. 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 They 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. 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 “dragon comodo” in their native language.

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 also studying in detail what and how these giant lizards eat. 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 will not refuse one large rodent or several, and will even eat insects and larvae. 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 mid-July. Initially, the female is looking for a place where she can safely lay her eggs. She doesn't choose any special places, 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 wild boars, which are accustomed to destroying bird nests, are especially greedy for dragon eggs. 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, therefore 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.