Komodo dragons have 60 razor-sharp teeth shaped like sickles. The gory history of Europes mummy-eating fad, This ordinary woman hid Anne Frankand kept her story alive, This Persian marvel was lost for millennia. However, in 2021 the IUCN decided to list the Komodo dragon as an endangered species because climate models suggested that between 30 and 70 percent of the species habitat would be lost by 2040 to increases in sea level. This also helps explains the species' great spurts of endurance and speed. In comparison to other lizards from the Komodos ancestral line, the Komodo Dragon is quite small. But lets break down every reason separately and see why these giant lizards are really threatening. Because of this, people sometimes may see a photo of a Komodo dragon with its mouth open and get the impression that they have no teeth. However, they have all become extinct. For example, given their enormous size, these dragons can run as much as 13 miles/hour on a short bust and have also developed resistance to the anticoagulant effects of their own bites. This is why most of Komodos victims die of blood loss. The people of Komodo no longer put their deceased in sandy ground; instead, they only inter them in clay soil due to grave robbery. There have been many cases where Komodo dragons showed aggression, especially towards humans and little children. Consider what makes the Komodo dragon's bite lethal and explore its Indonesian habitat, Study dangerous turtles and lizards such as Gila monsters, crocodile monitors, and Komodo dragons, Wild Words from the Animal Kingdom Vocabulary Quiz, This article was most recently revised and updated by, 7 of the Worlds Most Dangerous Lizards and Turtles, Abundant Animals: The Most Numerous Organisms in the World, https://www.britannica.com/animal/Komodo-dragon, Smithsonians National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute - Komodo dragon, National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) genome and identification of innate immunity genes and clusters, Komodo dragon - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Komodo dragon - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. 0000004545 00000 n The venom of a Komodo dragon seeps into the deep wounds of its victims, as opposed to snake venom, which is injected into a victim through its razor-sharp teeth. Because of the recorded fatalities, the Komodo dragon has been a fearsomereptileinIndonesia, inducing terror in its natives. Gape angles were adjusted to find the optima, which were 20 for V. komodoensis and 0 for C. porosus.Our adjustment for the optimal gape angle resulted in a V. komodoensis maximum posterior bite force (maximal predicted jaw muscle forces applied at optimal gape) of 39 N, considerably higher than in a previous analysis yet still 6.5 times less than the 252 N produced by the bite of a C . Dispelling what one expert calls a scientific fairy tale, a new study shows that the fierce lizards ooze venom, not toxic bacteria, into bites to help weaken and ultimately kill their prey. With parthenogenesis, female Komodo dragons can produce a healthy clutch of eggs without males, although in the case of the Komodo, all of the offspring produced this way will be male. They also live and hunt alone. While the Plott hound is the state dog of North Carolina, it is a very rare breed and not well-known in other states. An animal that escapes a Komodo's initial attack soon weakens and dies. Females are traditionally lighter than males and both genders take about 8 to 9 years to fully mature. Komodo dragons leave massive, gaping wounds filled with the lizards venom in humans. Dragon Tales: Zookeeper's Komodo Bite Raises Questions But "that whole bacteria stuff has been a scientific fairy tale," said Bryan Fry, a venom researcher at the University of Melbourne in Australia. Some lizards will rest in burrows as homes to cope with this heat. Komodo Dragon Teeth: The Deadliest Bite? - HowStuffWorks Komodo dragon, ( Varanus komodoensis ), largest extant lizard species. Gila Monster They can bite to crush an . Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Even though these animals live near humans, they are still wild animals and still aggressive. The Komodo dragon is the world's biggest living lizard, with an average weight of around 154 pounds, but the most significant confirmed specimen measured 10.3 feet in length and weighed 366 pounds. However, this only happens when food is scarce, so dont get scared; theres little to no chance for you to get eaten by a Komodo dragon. Komodo dragons, like other monitor lizard species, tend to have a bite force of around 500 to 600 PSI or 39 Newtons. For years it was believed that the danger of a Komodo dragon's bite was due not to venom, but to . Sulfur Water Monitor Female Komodo Dragons may lay up to 30 eggs that are fiercely protected for many months. It occurs on Komodo Island and a few neighbouring islands of the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia. Blue Tegu They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. How this animal can survive is a mystery. Surprisingly, the bite of a Komodo dragon is not very strong, and its teeth are more suitable for cutting than crushing. Blue Tongue Skink Diet Caiman Lizard But that wasnt enough; they even had to pile rocks on top of graves so the Komodos couldnt dig them up. Are their teeth easily seen? Rats invaded paradise. This document is subject to copyright. The main reason Komodo dragons are dangerous is that they have a deadly bite of 1,000 PSI. Hippo Bite Force: How Strong Is a Hippos Jaw? [STRENGTH] Have some feedback for us? Komodo dragons can still attack you, even if they are in captivity, and it happened. Most of the local villagers believe that the dragons are and always have been very dangerous, but attacks are rare and the number of tourists that come to the park sometimes limits the poaching that occurs. Komodo Dragons have a bite force of 500 to 600 PSI, or pounds per square inch. It is thought that their victims go into shock from rapid blood loss. The best thing to do in order to stay safe is to not bother or scare the animals. He told the outlet: "It's the most complex duct system described in reptiles to date., Featured Image Credit: Sergey Uryadnikov / Alamy Stock Photo. Once a victim runs away, they will bleed to death over the course of a few days with a Komodo Dragon following close behind. 0000008181 00000 n These lizards are known to be built like armor and have dragon-like scales with tiny chips of bone that protect these big lizards from their volcanic environments and other Komodo Dragons, which are the only other real predator of the islands. Unauthorized use is prohibited. This sounds like a spooky story told around Halloween time, but it is true; its something that happens. Altogether, its a pretty sophisticated and lethal piece of kit.. Like other lizards, a Komodo dragon sunbathes after eating because of its large meals and delayed digestion. Bite force, put simply, is the amount of force exerted on teeth during a bite. Once they are born, Komodo Dragons are only 12 inches. They seldom need to capture live prey directly, since their venomous bite delivers toxins that inhibit blood clotting. Typically, Komodo dragons can bite with a 500 to 600 psi force, but it can go as high as 1000 psi in rare cases. Jaguars are solitary predators with a powerful frame and can grow to 250 pounds. Komodo Dragons are known to be unpredictable. Tegu Diet Human Bites: Treatment & Outlook Most of the time, bite force is measured in pounds per square inch or PSI for short. Most of the time, Komodo dragons simply hide and wait for prey to come to them. part may be reproduced without the written permission. While their jaws are not too strong, all it takes for them to kill is one bite, which allows them to inject their potent venom into their victim which will then die within a couple of hours. Even better, the study of venoms like these can help doctors and researchers create powerful medicines. While Komodo Dragons somewhat resemble the lovable dragon Toothless from Dreamworks How to Train Your Dragon, their teeth do follow suit. Wild Explained is the go-to source for all things related to wildlife. Pygmy hippos are only a fourth of the size of common hippos and have weaker bites. Technically, the Komodo dragons bite should not be enough to create colossal damage or impact on animals or humans. These lizards may consume up to 80% of their weight in food at one time. 0000003492 00000 n worlds largest and most dangerous lizards, compared to an Australian saltwater crocodile, The 5 Best Vitamin Supplements for Geckos, See a Gator Bite an Electric Eel With 860 Volts, See Dominator The Largest Crocodile In The World, And As Big As A Rhino, Discover the Largest Sea-Dwelling Crocodile Ever Found (Bigger than a Great White! The researchers attached slabs of meat to strain gauges for the Dragon to attack and showed that by harnessing the considerable strength of its limbs the lizard relies mostly on forces generated by its hefty, muscular body to employ its sharp, serrated teeth to tear away large pieces of flesh. They consume a lot of carrion instead. An ancient but famous monitor lizard is the Megalania, or where the Komodo Dragon derives from. 0000017531 00000 n 0000046736 00000 n In fact, the Komodo dragon genome is an important resource for understanding the biology of other monitor lizards and reptiles. Komodo Dragons have a bite force of 500 to 600 PSI, or pounds per square inch. A Komodo dragon's head is not very strong. These giant lizards may have been living only in a specific region, but they have the potential to be one of the most dangerous animals on the planet. Gecko Care While they live in Indonesia today, their ancestry is from Australia. Understandably, the video left viewers horrified, as one user wrote: Good luck getting a Komodo to bite a steak and getting it back from it., Another said: Their saliva is essential like pouring dumpster liquid into your open wounds., While a third commented: This is the itchiest thing I have ever seen. HWr+Xh3'F# ecw,"!/JW)wj;^dEfn>YrOtWImpq$ZsI&V,]d61i]t%?_deKV.l($-N$\^OJ/$;vE[=WcU) Jg_{p_\\.@cY@>x/.\^PO#U=$W/,s6OaTub&Q~(Z A Jackson's chameleon temperament is hard to put into a box. The researchers found evidence of positive selection for elements of mitochondrial function with roles in glucose and lipid metabolism, energy transfer, contractile function, muscle mitochondrial biogenesis, and oxidative capacity. While both pieces of meat look the same at the beginning of the clip, the one left begins to swell uncontrollably while showing a massive loss of blood.