What does a monitor lizard look like? The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard

The monitor lizard is the largest of all lizards living on earth. They are not inferior in size to crocodiles, although they are not related to them family ties. It is also one of the most ancient animals. Systematically, monitor lizards stand closer to snakes. These reptiles separate family monitor lizards, including more than 70 species.

So, what does a monitor lizard look like?

All species of these large lizards have a medium or large body size - about 0.5-1 m. The largest is the Komodo dragon, which is also called the Komodo dragon. Its length is about 3 m, and it weighs 140 kg! Well, you must agree, isn’t it a dragon?

The Emerald Monitor (Varanus prasinus) is the most striking species. This monitor lizard lives in tropical forests and the green color performs a camouflage function

Large size and well-developed muscles distinguish large monitor lizards from other individuals. They have tenacious and strong paws, middle part the abdomen is somewhat expanded, a long, fleshy, whip-shaped tail. Many monitor lizards have a tail the same length as their body.

Unlike a real lizard, in moments of danger, monitor lizards do not drop their tail, but they whip it perfectly from side to side. The monitor's muzzle is rounded on the nose, but its general features are more suitable to describe a snake than a lizard. True, this lizard has round pupils, while the snake does not.

The reptile's body is covered with large, rounded scales, and each finger has a long, sharp claw. At the very tip of the tongue there is a fork, thanks to which the monitor lizard smells odors that are very far away. The color of monitor lizards is not variegated, with a predominance of gray, sand, black, and brown tones. But some young individuals have a spotted and striped pattern.

Where do monitor lizards live?

Monitor lizards are amateurs warm climate, therefore their habitats are located within tropical zone. The largest species diversity of these lizards is found in Australia and the surrounding islands.

What does a monitor lizard eat?

The monitor lizard is an active predator, not too picky about food. They feed on smaller reptiles (even poisonous snakes), young turtles, and insects. A special delicacy for monitor lizards are crocodiles, bird eggs, and snake eggs, so regularly visiting places of possible clutches is like a hobby for them. The reptile can swallow all prey whole, or bite off pieces with its mouth.

Reproduction of monitor lizards

Monitor lizards, like most snakes, lay eggs. The mating season occurs at the beginning of spring. The female lays 15-20 eggs. Since the animal lives in a warm climate, brooding does not occur. However, as well as the responsible upbringing of offspring.

Enemies of monitor lizards in nature

Thanks to large sizes The monitor lizards did not make any enemies. Only young individuals are vulnerable, which can even be eaten by their own relatives. As a defense, the lizard hits the attacker with its massive tail, hisses, opens its mouth and bites very painfully.

Rare species

Some species of monitor lizards are listed in the National Red Book, and the Komodo dragon is listed in the International Red Book.

Komodo dragons are the most large lizards in the world. These are unique animals: they are excellent swimmers, they can climb trees, they have an excellent sense of smell and, to top off the list, they are very poisonous. The bite of a monitor lizard can be fatal to humans.

The monitor lizard has many names - Komodo dragon, Komodo dragon, and the locals call it ora or buaya darat(“land crocodile”).

These giants live only on a few islands located in the group of the Lesser Sunda Islands - about. Komodo, o. Rinka, o. Gili Motang and Fr. Flores.

Adult males reach 2.5 - 3 meters and weigh 70 kilograms. Although there is evidence that the largest specimen reached a length of 3.13 meters and weighed 166 kilograms. Females are smaller and reach a length of only 1.5 - 2 meters. The length of the monitor lizard's tail is approximately half the length of the body. The color is dark brown; young individuals have bright yellowish spots on their backs. The mouth is equipped with teeth with cutting edges, which are suitable for tearing meat into pieces.

Monitor lizards are diurnal animals. During the hottest time of the day they hide in the shade, and in the afternoon they go out hunting. At night they sleep soundly in their shelters. Young monitor lizards are excellent climbers and live in hollows for their own safety.

Komodo dragons are excellent swimmers. They can safely swim across small rivers, bays, or cover the distance to neighboring nearby islands. True, there is one “but” here. They cannot survive in water for more than 15 minutes. And if they don’t manage to get to land, they drown. Perhaps it was this factor that influenced the natural boundaries of the habitat of these animals.

Monitor lizards run fast, short distances its speed can reach 20 km/h. When necessary, they can stand on their hind legs, using their powerful tail as support.

They don't have natural enemies. They themselves will destroy anyone. But they happily feed on young monitor lizards birds of prey And large snakes.

Komodo dragons are omnivores. They eat everything from large insects to horses, buffalos and other monitor lizards. Yes, yes, intraspecific cannibalism is common among these lizards. This is especially true during famine years. Adults often eat smaller relatives.

They wait in ambush for their prey. Sometimes they knock her down with a blow from her huge tail, breaking her legs. Large specimens prefer carrion, which they provide for themselves. It's all about what they do to the animal laceration which is infected. Inflammation of the wound and blood poisoning occurs. After some time the animal dies. The monitor lizard, thanks to its forked tongue, which is an organ of smell, finds the corpse of a victim even at a distance of several kilometers. Other monitor lizards also come running to the smell of carrion. A fight begins, the purpose of which is to establish dominance among the males.

The monitor lizard can swallow small prey whole, but tear large prey into pieces. Females and young animals mainly feed on what is left from dinner or on birds and small animals.

The breeding season for monitor lizards begins in winter, during the dry season. The number of males is 2 times greater than the number of females. Therefore, ritual battles for females take place at this time.

After mating, after 6-7 months, the female goes in search of places to lay eggs. Most often they become nests of weed chickens, large compost heaps or high piles of fallen leaves. She digs a deep hole there and lays 20 eggs, each weighing 200 grams. The female guards her nest for 8-8.5 months until the small monitor lizards hatch. Immediately after their appearance, their self-preservation instinct kicks in and before they are eaten, they climb the neighboring trees. They live there for the first 2 years.

Many have heard that a lizard bite can be fatal. It turns out that their saliva contains 57 different strains of bacteria that cause inflammation of the wound and blood poisoning. It is believed that these bacteria came from eating carrion. This is true, but here lies another secret.

More recently, in 2009, scientists at the University of Melbourne proved that monitor lizards have poisonous glands that are located on the lower jaw. They secrete a venom containing various toxic proteins that cause cessation of blood clotting, decreased blood pressure, muscle paralysis and loss of consciousness. The ducts of these glands are located at the base of the teeth, and the poison is mixed with saliva, which contains many bacteria.

Monitor lizards are dangerous to humans, to a greater extent it concerns him poisonous bites. If you don't apply for it in time medical care, That fatal outcome can't be avoided. They pose a particular danger to children. During famine years, there are recorded cases of children dying from these monsters. There are known cases of monitor lizards digging up corpses from graves.

It is forbidden to kill these animals. They are listed in the IUCN Red List. A national park was organized especially for them on Komodo Island.

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 satisfying prey; forest inhabitants become their prey - wild boars, buffalo, deer, more small mammals. There is practically nothing left of the victims - the giant does not disdain hooves, skin and other parts of carcasses that other predators do not eat.

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

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

However, 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 .

Komodo dragon- the biggest lizard in the world! It is also called the Indonesian monitor lizard, and some individuals are simply amazing in their size. Varan can reach a length of 3 meters and a weight of 80-85 kg. One such representative is listed in the Guinness Red Book, weighing 91.7 kg from Komodo Island. Where does this huge lizard live and what does it eat in nature? How long can he live? This is exactly what we will talk about today, starting with the life expectancy of a monitor lizard.

How long does a Komodo dragon live?

Komodo dragons As a rule, they lead a solitary lifestyle; they can unite in a small group during the breeding season or while hunting. Their activity occurs during the daytime, but they can also be awake at night. Huge to hunt lizard goes out during the day, and in hot weather stays in the shade. They spend the night in their shelter, and in the morning they go hunting again.

How many years can a Komodo dragon live?

The Komodo dragon can live in nature about 50 years old. It was also recorded that one of the representatives lived for 62 years! By the way, an interesting fact is that the female lives 2 times less, i.e. female lifespan averages 25 years.

Where does the Komodo dragon live?

Komodo dragon can be found on the Indonesian islands: Gili Motang, Komodo, Flores, Rinch. The inhabitants of the island call it a land crocodile. The facts indicate that monitor lizard appeared more than 40 million years ago in Asia, then in Australia. And 15 million years ago it was discovered on the island of Timor, between Australia and Southwest Asia. Varan lives in areas well-warmed by the sun, for example, in tropical forests, dry plains, and savannas. During the hot period, is located near dry river beds, hunts in the water, and is excellent swimmer. Komodo dragon color dark brown with small yellow spots over the body. On skin small osteoderms (secondary cutaneous ossification). Monitor teeth pressed from the sides, they have sharp cutting edges, which allows them to open large prey. Likewise, on paws you can see long claws that help in hunting.

FOOD AND INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE KOMODO DIVINE

What does the Komodo dragon eat?

Juveniles feed snakes, birds, civets. They have no enemies as such in nature, except for humans, their relatives and saltwater crocodiles. Also, komodo dragon readily feeds on insects, fish, rats, sea ​​turtles, lizards, livestock, cats and dogs, baby crocodiles. More large individuals at 50 kg they hunt deer and wild boar. Scientists have proven that it is not so much sharp teeth and long claws that help in hunting, but rather the poison that is in the mouth lizards and bacteria that cause a rapid inflammatory process in the victim.

Interesting facts about the Komodo dragon

1. A long and forked tongue allows you to catch the scent of the victim

2.Varan bites the victim and waits for him to die from blood poisoning

3. At one time, vanan can eat 80% of its own weight

4. Mating monitor lizards occurs from May to August, the female can lay about 30 eggs

5.Monitor lizards have excellent vision, can see prey at a distance of 300 meters

6. After eating monitor lizard belly increases

7. Komodo dragon It feeds not only on living creatures, but also on the skin of the victim, its bones and even its hooves.

VIDEO: Komodo monitor

IN THIS VIDEO, YOU WILL SEE WHAT A KOMODO DIANA LOOKS LIKE AND YOU WILL LEARN A LOT OF INTERESTING ABOUT ITS LIFE IN THE WILD

Despite its impressive name, it ranks third in size among its relatives.

General information

The giant monitor lizard compared to the Komodo monitor (among all species of lizards it has no equal in strength and size) is relatively small. Second place belongs to the striped monitor lizard, leading semi-aquatic image life. The giant monitor lizard takes an honorable third place along with the crocodile monitor (or El Salvador monitor lizard).

Superior giant monitor lizard its brothers in length due to its rather long tail, which is why it received such an impressive name. He belongs to the Varanova family.

You can learn more about this interesting animal (what it is, where the giant monitor lizard lives, on what continent) by reading this article.

An incident from history

One day (1961) in the Watoga Mountains (New Australia), three loggers were cutting down trees. While they were resting, they suddenly heard the crunching of branches nearby. It seemed as if something of enormous size was making its way through a windfall. Getting up, the lumberjacks saw with horror the unexpected guest. It was approaching them gigantic size an animal six meters long.

It was believed that large land animals did not exist in Australia, and the appearance of this monster in men caused a real shock. After some time, the workers rushed to the car. Sitting in a closed car, they saw a real huge dragon emerge from the thicket. He walked with his powerful clawed paws and predatorily moved his head to the sides with numerous teeth in his mouth. The animal walked past the car and, going down a steep slope, disappeared into the forest.

This species of lizard is the third largest in the world fauna.

The upper part of the body of the giant monitor lizard is coffee-colored, and the back and sides are covered with black spots. Its belly is painted a light cream color. The belly of a young monitor lizard has a pronounced, clear pattern, while in an old one it fades with age.

The animal's head is elongated, and its mouth contains very sharp teeth that can gnaw the flesh of prey. The monitor lizard's short, powerful paws have curved, very sharp claws.

The total length of the animal, including the tail, is 2.6 meters, weight - 25 kg. But usually the body length of most monitor lizards does not exceed 2 meters. This value was determined by calculating the average length and weight of individuals selected by local zoologists.

The color of the giant monitor lizard not only looks quite impressive, it is also an excellent camouflage suit for the reptile: it is not noticeable against the background of vegetation parched from the heat. When running (both on four and on 2 hind legs), the giant monitor lizard can reach speeds of up to 3-4 kilometers per hour. Body temperature depends on climatic conditions environment, he cannot stand extreme heat.

Enough long tail This giant animal most often performs attacking functions: its blow can knock down not only a person, but also a large animal.

Spreading

On what continent does the giant monitor lizard live? Australia (central part of the continent and western part) is considered to be the homeland of the large monitor lizard. This is the state of Queensland.

They were already hunting in the Australian desert 40 thousand years ago. primitive people. In the surviving rock paintings, in addition to other extinct animals, there are also images of dragons. It is possible that this giant predator was part of the menu of the ancient aborigines.

The vast expanses of this fabulously beautiful continent have not been sufficiently explored. There is a photograph that shows a man next to a huge dragon, although this is actually unlikely. Although it is known that in cold weather In the morning, monitor lizards are inactive, and therefore they react sluggishly to their potential prey. Perhaps the person in the photo took advantage of this animal’s similar state.

Monitor lizards live in the driest parts of Australia: from western Queensland to the western coasts of the continent. Habitats: semi-desert, desert zones and savannas.

Habits, lifestyle

The giant monitor lizard (Australia) leads only a terrestrial lifestyle and lives in burrows and cracks in rocky terrain. In case of danger, he can calmly find himself on a branch, quickly climbing up the tree trunk.

Baby monitor lizards can become prey to predators, such as dingoes. Man is the only enemy for an adult monitor lizard.

Nutrition

Typically, the Australian giant monitor lizard feeds on birds, various insects, and varieties of smaller monitor lizards. His victims die not so much from the bite sharp teeth, how much from blood poisoning and various associated infections.

Sometimes carrion is also included in the monitor lizard's diet. There are also cases of attacks by large individuals on not very large kangaroos.

Reproduction

The reproduction of these reptiles has not been sufficiently studied. However, it is known that these reptiles, as a rule, do not create stable pairs. The female lays fertilized eggs in a well-protected shelter. This could be an abandoned hole, the hollow of a fallen tree, or a termite mound.

Usually there are approximately 11 eggs in a clutch, for the successful development of which a temperature ranging from +30 to -32 ° C is required. Lasts approximately 8 months incubation period, after which small monitor lizards are born, with their innate instincts and in the first days of life, left almost to their own devices.

Conclusion

The giant monitor lizard is not bloodthirsty. He tries to run away when meeting a person, but attacks only when exceptional cases when danger arises for him. The monitor lizard has wildlife There are practically no enemies, because it is very difficult to defeat such a powerful and strong enemy.

These animals have very dense, durable skin, and they are tenacious, like other lizards. Local residents claim that monitor lizards are not frightened even by the bites of poisonous snakes, however, confirmation from scientists this fact No. What is known is that these voracious lizards eat quite well a variety of snakes, without dividing them into harmless and poisonous.