Modern dragons (12 pics + text)

Komodo Park is located in the heart of the Indonesian archipelago, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. The territory of the park consists of three islands: Komodo, Padar and Rinchen and a lot of islets and coral reefs.

Komodo dragon Komodo dragon or (lat. Varanus komodoensis) - lizard of the family of lizards. The largest of modern lizards can reach three meters in length. Komodo dragon are threatened with extinction due to human activities. Type listed in the Red Book.



Komodo dragons Wild adults weigh about 70 kg, but in captivity and reach larger sizes. The biggest wild specimen for which there is reliable information, had a length of 3, 13 m and weighed 166 kg, including more undigested food. [1]

At the present time, due to a sharp reduction in the number of large wild ungulates (deer, buffalo) on the islands due to poaching, even adults lizards males are forced to switch to a smaller food: birds, rodents, eggs, lizards, insects, etc. . Because of this, the average size of monitor lizards gradually decreases and is now about 75% of the average size of mature individuals 10 years ago. Hunger is often the cause of death of lizards.