Komodo dragon

Varanus komodoensis · The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard, a giant monitor found only on a handful of Indonesian islands, including Komodo and Rinca.

Also called Komodo monitor, Ora, Komodo Island monitor.

Komodo dragon
Photo: Bloopityboop, CC BY-SA 4.0
Komodo dragon
Photo: James Jolokia (james1203), CC BY 4.0
Komodo dragon
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassReptilia
OrderSquamata
FamilyVaranidae
GenusVaranus
SpeciesVaranus komodoensis

Where it lives

Dry savanna and forest of Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and nearby Indonesian islands.

Fun facts

  • Baby Komodo dragons roll around in feces to keep hungry adults away, since adults will eat them.
  • After a huge meal, a Komodo dragon coughs up a pellet of horns, hair and teeth, then rubs its face in the dirt to wipe off the smelly mucus.
  • A Komodo dragon can eat up to 80% of its own body weight in one meal.
  • Because they burn energy so slowly, large Komodo dragons can get by on as few as 12 meals a year.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).