People have burned the Komodo dragon’s habitat to clear it for other uses, while poachers target this reptile and its prey. Humans have also posed a threat to the Komodo dragon’s survival. The reptile’s reluctance to stray far from home exacerbates the issue as the species’ population declines and fragments. The dearth of other females within a population has led to evidence of inbreeding.
While asexual reproduction does allow female Komodo dragons to replenish their population-an evolutionary advantage-it has a significant drawback: This reproduction process only results in sons. A dragon can eat a whopping 80 percent of its body weight in a single feeding. Dragons can calmly follow an escapee for miles as the venom takes effect, using their keen sense of smell to home in on the corpse. The venom then quickens the loss of blood and sends the prey into shock.Īnimals that escape the jaws of a Komodo will only feel lucky briefly.
Dragons bite down with serrated teeth and pull back with powerful neck muscles, resulting in huge gaping wounds. The Komodo dragon has venom glands loaded with toxins that lower blood pressure, cause massive bleeding, prevent clotting, and induce shock. When a victim ambles by, the dragon springs, using its sharp claws, and serrated, shark-like teeth to eviscerate its prey. When hunting, Komodo dragons rely on camouflage and patience, lying in wait for passing prey. DietĪs the dominant predators on the handful of islands they inhabit, Komodo dragons will eat almost anything, including carrion, deer, pigs, smaller dragons, and even large water buffalo. When there aren’t any males around, female Komodo dragons have other means of reproducing: As they have both male and female sex chromosomes, female dragons can reproduce asexually in a process called parthenogenesis. Pregnant females then lay about 30 eggs, which they bury in the earth until they hatch eight months later. Males also sometimes wrestle one another to earn mating rights. When a male dragon locates a female, he scratches her back and llicks her body.
Once a year, when they’re ready to mate, female Komodo dragons give off a scent in their feces for males to follow. Though these athletic reptiles can walk up to seven miles per day, they prefer to stay close to home-rarely venturing far from the valleys in which they hatched. They prefer the islands’ tropical forests but can be found across the islands. Komodo dragons have thrived in the harsh climate of Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands for millions of years. They have long, flat heads with rounded snouts, scaly skin, bowed legs, and huge, muscular tails. Reaching up to 10 feet in length and more than 300 pounds, Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards on Earth. Current Population Trend: Unknown What is the Komodo dragon?
0 kommentar(er)
