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KOMODO DRAGON – VARANUS KOMODOENSIS
1. Basic Facts.
The
first encounter and written by JKH VAN STEYN in 1911. Scientific
identification of VARANUS KOMODOENSIS by P.A OUWENS in 1912.
When
frightened, Komodo dragons can run up to 18 km / h for short
distances. Usually they run at a slower pace of 8 – 10 km / h.
Large dragons usually weigh up to 90 kg ( 198 pounds ) The largest
Komodo dragon ever measured weighed 195.9 kilograms ( 365 pounds )
but this might be because its belly was of food. It is too difficult
to tell difference between male and female dragons without checking
for a special scale pattern that males have on their underside at the
base of their tale However , one way to tell the difference in fully
grown animals is that very large dragons are usually male.
The
largest recorded Komodo dragon length is 3.13 meters ( 10 feet 2
inches ).Female Komodo dragons rarely grow over 2.5 meters ( 7 feet 6
inches ) in length.
Komodo dragons remain large because there are
no other large predators to compete with. Scientists believe that
komodo dragons can live up to 50 years, maybe longer. Komodo dragons
can swim at lest 500 meters. However, they become sluggish in the
water because the water cools their body temperature down. The young
dragons spend most of their time on the trees but dragons over 1.5
meters long can not climb well .Dragons over 2 meters long are too
heavy to climb the trees.
Komodo dragon are cold – blooded,
they are constantly regulating their body temperature. In the early
morning, they must warm – up their body in the sun. If their body
temperature drops too low, the food in their stomach can rot and
cause regurgitation or even death. However, Komodo dragon’s body
temperature must not exceed 42 degrees Celsius ( 108 degrees
Fahrenheit ).When it is too hot, they have to rest and seek shade to
prevent their body from over – heating. Dragons are most active
from 6 to 10 am in the morning and again from 3 to 5pm in the
afternoon. During the rainy season, Komodo dragons stay in the
burrows if they are too cold. Komodo dragons sleep at night because
it is usually too cool for them to be active. They will sleep where
they will not loose to much heat. They sleep at the edge of the
savanna and monsoon forest, or in burrows. The average sleeping
burrow is only 75cm to 1.25m in length. The Komodo dragons will use
the burrows of rodents. Palm civets, wild boar, porcupine ( on Flores
) and those made by other Komodo dragons. Nesting burrows, on the
other hand, are about two meters long.
2. Population and
Habitat.
Komodo dragons are only found in Komodo, Rinca,
Gilli Motang and a small part of northern and western Flores. They
are recently extinct in Padar. They are not exist any where else on
earth.
Komodo dragons need protection as they are considered
endangered due to their extremely limited range. Komodo dragons are
thought to have live over a larger area but may have been forced out
of other island due to human population pressures. As well, the
formations of the islands are always changing over time. May be it is
difficult for them to cross the water now because too strong currents
and wider water crossing.
Dragons can be found almost everywhere
on Komodo and Rinca. They can be found in the monsoon forest, in the
savanna, on the beach, on the mangrove swamps and in burrows.
Sometimes the younger ones are found in the trees. The Komodo
dragon’s range is mostly from sea level of 450m above sea level.
Komodo dragons surveys taken in the year 2003 account for 1.300
komodo dragons in Komodo island, and 1.200 Komodo dragons in Rinca.
This figure is lower then surveys made in prior years, which recorded
population ranging from 1.062 – 1.772 dragons in Komodo and 1.110 –
1.344 in Rinca. This recent decline in population seems to be in the
young and juvenile categories. However, differences may be due to the
method of survey than an actual decline in population.
For every
female, there are about three males. Perhaps a small percentage of
females is a natural response to keep the Komodo dragon population
from growing too quickly.
3.Origins.
Komodo
dragons are one of the oldest living lizards. Direct ancestors of the
Komodo dragon ( Varanidae family ) lived 50 million years ago. Komodo
dragons may have descended from a larger lizard from Java or from
Australia ( Megalania prisca ) , which existed 30.000 years
ago.
Komodo dragons could be from Asia or Australia.On theory is
that dragons island – hopped from Java to Komodo. Another theory is
that they swam from Australia to Timor until they reached Flores.
About 18 .000 years ago the sea level was approximately 85 meters
lower then it is to day. Because the shallower shelves of the island
were exposed as dry land, the Komodo dragons might have been able to
easily their way from Flores to Rinca and Komodo island.
4.
Reproduction.
Female Komodo dragons start mating when they
are seven years old and male dragons start mating when they are eight
years old. The mating season of the Komodo dragons is normally from
July to August although mating behaviors have been observed during
have been observed during other months as well, but generally during
the dry season. Female komodo dragons lay up 15 to 30 eggs at a time.
The average number of eggs is about 18 per clutch per year .The
female often lay their eggs in a burrow Sometimes they use the mound
of the scrub fowl. Female dragons dig several false funnels so that
predators can’t find the eggs easily. The Komodo dragons eggs
incubate for eight to nine months, the eggs usually hatch in March or
April. With it is size of Komodo dragon eggs is 8,6 cm long, with a
diameter of 5,9 cm and weight of 105 grams. The eggs are about the
size of swan eggs.The shells are soft and leathery.
Komodo dragons
use their tongue to detect scents and smells. And also the tongue to
pick up chemical particles in the air and ground, then put them in
their Jacobson’s organs located on the roof of their mouth.
Jacobson’s organs are a kind of “Super nose”. Dragons can
detect scents up to five kilometers away. However, they can smell up
to 11 km away depending on the direction of the wind.
5.
Hunting and feeding.
Komodo dragons are carnivorous and
not very particular about their meat .The adults mainly prey on deer
and wild boar and sometimes other Komodo dragons. If they can, they
will hunt buffalo, palm civets, rats, and birds. They will also eat
domestic animals like dogs, chickens, and goats. Occasionally they
will eat snakes, sea turtle eggs and monkeys. Komodo dragons prefer
to eat animals which are already dead (carrion ). Also the dragons
usually attack sleeping animals or wait in ambush.
If they can’t
kill prey immediately they will try to bite the animal on the leg or
on the throat. Later, they will follow and wait for the animal to
weaken and die before they eat it.
Komodo dragon’s saliva is
very high septic. There are over 60 types of bacteria in the dragon’s
saliva and at least one of them can cause septicemia. After being
bitten, they prey can take a day to a couple of weeks to die from
blood – poisoning. They have small, sharp, curved teeth for
grasping and ripping. A komodo dragon can eat up to 80% of its body
weight at one time. For example, researchers saw a 42 kg dragon eat a
30 kg in 17 minutes. Dragons eat almost everything, leaving behind
only 8 – 13% of the carcass. They can eat whenever there is
opportunity. If there is no prey, they will scavenge. They can go
without eating for several weeks. Dragons usually eat or kill about
once a month. The droppings of the Komodo dragon are white due to the
presence of uric acid. All reptiles and birds have this in their
droppings as well. Also the droppings has not contains of water. The
body of dragons will try to conserve water in their body instead,
especially during the dry season when water is scarce. Komodo dragons
need to drink water, but often. They drink a lot when it is
available. They drink very little in the dry season from April to
November. Dragons can get 70% of their water requirement from their
prey.
6. People and Dragons.
Komodo dragons have
no natural predators but deer poachers are their biggest threat.
Timor deer an essential part of the dragon’s died and the prey /
predator balance is critical for the Komodo dragon to survive. At
least eight people are thought to have been attacked by dragons, and
one tourist is thought to have been eaten by dragons in the
1970’s.The komodo dragons are not longer fed so that they can
resume their natural activities. By feeding the dragons, they where
relying too heavily on humans for their food. Komodo dragons are
opportunistic scavengers. They come to the ranger station because of
the smell of food .They are still wild animals and are not tame.
Their behavior is unpredictable.
The best thing to do is to get
out the way. If you run, the dragon may follow. Climbing the tree is
an option if the pursuing dragons is too large to climb the tree
itself. Komodo National Park requires that all visitors be
accompanied by a ranger for safety reasons. The rangers have
experience in dealing with dragons and carry a stick to stop the
dragons from. The people of komodo island revere the Komodo dragons
as a mystical ancestor and treat the dragons with respect.