-*-Komodo Dragon-*-
Komodo dragons can grow to be around 8-10 feet and weigh 150 lbs.
The females are smaller than the males which grow to be 8 feet long.
Despite their size don't be fooled these dragons are very fast moving and agile.
They are also really good swimmers.
Komodo's have about 60 serrated teeth that are frequently replaced.
In their mouth they have 2 venom glands on the lower jaw.
Their saliva contains septic pathogens.
The komodo dragons are carnivorous and cannibalistic lizards.
Carnivorous meaning meat eaters, and cannibalistic meaning they will feed on their own kind.
Komodo's eat pigs, deer, and can even take down an adult buffalo.
It has been said that they even go after small or injured humans.
What these guys do is if they see a prey that is too big to take down physically they will bite it. Then wait for the bacteria saliva to infect that prey until it eventually dies.
Then what they do is track it down with scent and eat it.
These dragons are solitary creatures unless it is mating season.
Komodo's lay their eggs on the side of a mountain or in abandoned nests.
Female komodo's can lay up to 20 eggs in a single clutch.
The eggs are incubated for 7-8 months.
When the baby komodo is hatching they have what is called an "egg tooth".
They use this to help break away the egg's shell.
The egg tooth eventually falls off after they are out of the egg.
Juvenile komodo's are usually multicolored.
They can come in colors of yellow, green, brown, and gray with speckled banded skin.
Adults vary from red to gray to black.
Komodo's can live for 20 to 40 years.
These lizards are endangered.
*Photo Courtesy of:* http://www.einarsen.no/Indonesia/Flores/Flores.html
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