Komodo dragons are the biggest lizards in the world. They are so big, they can grow to ten feet long.
They look like dragons or dinosaurs and have a fearsome look. Their hunting prowess is also astounding.
Here are some amazing facts about Komodo dragons:
1. They can eat whole animals at once
Komodo dragons have been known to consume whole prey, including goat-sized animals.
They can eat for 15 to 20 minutes by pulling off large pieces of flesh and swallowing them whole. They don't eat a lot because it takes a long time for their food to digest so they may get by on as little as 12 meals a year.
2. They can reproduce without sex
Komodo dragons can reproduce asexually and sexually, with females fertilising male-produced eggs. They can reproduce without sex in the absence of males by a process known as "parthenogenesis," which exclusively produces males for mating with their mothers. Large animals rarely go through this procedure; instead, insects or plants more frequently do.
3. They are fast
They may look fat, but they are quite fast. Komodo dragons are swift apex predators, and they are capable of running very fast. They can run at 13 mph, while the average running speed of humans is 8 mph. This just means even humans can't outrun a Komodo dragon. Interestingly, these animals don't rely on speed for hunting; they love to catch their prey by surprise.
4. They smell with their tongues
Komodo dragons use their tongues to smell rather than their noses. They have a remarkable sense of smell and can locate decaying flesh up to six kilometres away by utilising their forked tongues. Additionally, they have excellent vision and can see objects up to 985 feet away without the aid of their noses.
5. They kill their prey with venom
Komodo dragons use venom, not microbes, to kill their prey. They inject venom into their prey through several ducts located between their teeth, rendering the victim helpless by lowering blood pressure, accelerating blood loss, and putting the victim into shock.
You are less likely to find them in Nigeria. Komodo dragons are found on a few Indonesian islands, like the Lesser Sunda Islands, including Rintja, Padar, Flores, and, unsurprisingly, the island of Komodo.
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