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Ever wonder what it might be like to come face to face with a dinosaur? Well, as you know, you never will because they have been extinct for millions of years, but some of their distant cousins are still alive like the mighty Komodo Dragon. Although not true fire breathing dragons from medieval stories, these “dragons”‘ are the largest lizards on earth. They can get up to 12 feet long and weigh over 300 lbs! Just imagine being ship wrecked on the same island as these giant meat eaters.

Komodo dragons are primarily found only on Komodo and its few smaller outlying islands north of Australia.

Komodo dragons are carnivores (meat eaters) and will eat any animal they are capable of dismembering and gulping down. Although they are mainly scavengers, they do capture live prey. Pigs, deer, birds, young dragons and even people have been meals to these beasts. The dragon’s reputation as a human eater is well deserved; it does not seem to fear humans and many attacks and deaths have been reported.

These giant lizards are formidable predators, since even one bite can be lethal. The bacteria that live in the dragon’s saliva are so potent that wounds often will not heal. Even if the victim gets away, it usually dies from infection in a few days.

Young dragons can climb trees, but the much-heavier adults cannot. Komodo dragons are good swimmers and have been reported hunting in the surf for fish and birds. They have even been known to swim to near by islands to flee local volcano eruptions.

Although these animals are rare and exotic, they were greatly hunted about a hundred years ago to the point of near extinction. The current population of Komodo dragons seems relatively stable at about 5,000 animals, yet scientists are concerned that only 350 of them are breeding females.

On the brighter side of things though, trade in Komodo dragons is now a serious crime. (This does not stop everyone from hunting these dragons for their “trophy.”) Protection from poaching is made easier by the dragon’s limited distribution; there is little human habitation on the islands where it occurs, and Komodo Island, the dragon’s stronghold, has been made a national park.

Komodo dragons now are the center of a burgeoning tourist industry and the local people increasingly are recognizing the advantage of living near this potentially dangerous animal. Because of Komodo Island’s remoteness, visitors to the island must stay in local hotels and hire local guides.