MW37's+Animal+Report+page

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon facts from this site 1.] - the **Komodo dragon** (//Varanus komodoensis//) is a species of [|lizard] that inhabits the islands of [|Komodo],[|Rinca], [|Flores], and [|Gili Motang] in [|Indonesia]. 2.] -A member of the [|monitor lizard] family ([|Varanidae]), it is the [|largest living species of lizard], growing to an average length of 2 to 3 metres (6.6 to 9.8 ft) and weighing around 70 kilograms (150 lb). 3.]-As a result of their size, these lizards dominate the [|ecosystems] in which they live. 4.]-Although Komodo dragons eat mostly [|carrion], they will also hunt and ambush prey including [|invertebrates],[|birds], and [|mammals]. 5.]-Mating begins between May and August, and the eggs are laid in September. 6.]-About twenty eggs are deposited in abandoned [|megapode] nests and incubated for seven to eight months, hatching in April, when insects are most plentiful. 7.]-Young Komodo dragons are vulnerable and therefore dwell in trees, safe from predators and [|cannibalistic] adults. 8.]-They take around three to five years to mature, and may live as long as fifty years. 9.]- Komodo dragons were discovered by Western scientists in 1910. 10.]- In the wild their range has contracted due to human activities and they are listed as [|vulnerable] by the [|IUCN]. 11.]-They are protected under Indonesian law, and a [|__national park__], [|Komodo National Park], was founded to aid protection efforts. 12.]-The Komodo dragon is also known as the **Komodo monitor** or the **Komodo Island monitor** in scientific literature, although this is not very common. 13.]-To the natives of [|Komodo Island], it is referred to as **ora**, **buaya darat** (land crocodile) or **biawak raksasa** (giant monitor). 14.]-The evolutionary development of the Komodo dragon started with the //[|Varanus]// genus, which originated in [|Asia] about 40 million years ago and migrated to [|Australia]. 15.]-Around 15 million years ago, a collision between Australia and Southeast Asia allowed the varanids to move into what is now the Indonesian archipelago. 16.]-Dramatic lowering of sea level during the [|last glacial period] uncovered extensive stretches of continental shelf that the Komodo dragon colonized, becoming isolated in their present island range as sea levels rose afterwards. 17.]-In the wild, an adult Komodo dragon usually weighs around 70 kilograms (150 lb), although captive specimens often weigh more. 18.]-The largest verified wild specimen was 3.13 metres (10.3 ft) long and weighed 166 kilograms (370 lb), including undigested food. 19.]-The Komodo dragon has a tail as long as its body. 20.]-It has about 60 frequently replaced serrated teeth that can measure up to 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) in length. 21.]-Its saliva is frequently blood-tinged, because its teeth are almost completely covered by [|gingival tissue] that is naturally lacerated during feeding. 22.]-It also has a long, yellow, deeply forked tongue. 23.]-The Komodo dragon does not have a particularly acute sense of hearing, despite its visible earholes, and is only able to hear sounds between 400 and 2000 [|hertz]. 25.]- It is able to see as far away as 300 metres (980 ft), but because its retinas only contain [|cones], it is thought to have poor night vision. 25.]-The Komodo dragon is able to see in color, but has poor visual discrimination of stationary objects. 26.]-The Komodo [|dragon] uses its tongue to detect, taste, and smell [|stimuli], as with many other reptiles, with the [|vomeronasal]sense using a [|Jacobson's organ], a sense that aids navigation in the dark. 27.]-The dragon's nostrils are not of great use for smelling, as the animal does not have a [|diaphragm]. 28.]- It only has a few [|taste buds] in the back of its throat. 29.]- Its scales, some of which are reinforced with bone, have sensory plaques connected to nerves that facilitate its sense of touch. 30.]-The Komodo dragon prefers hot and dry places, and typically lives in dry open grassland, savanna, and tropical forest at low elevations. 31.]-As an [|ectotherm], it is most active in the day, although it exhibits some [|nocturnal] activity. 32.]- Komodo dragons are largely solitary, coming together only to breed and eat. 33.]-They are capable of running rapidly in brief sprints up to 20 kilometres per hour (12.4 mph), diving up to 4.5 metres (15 ft), and climbing trees proficiently when young through use of their strong claws. 34.]- To catch prey that is out of reach, the Komodo dragon may stand on its hind legs and use its tail as a support. 35.]- What they will do to kill their prey is to bite them and inject their poisonous saliva,they will let go and follow it's prey for a couple of hours until it dies. http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Komododragon.cfm facts from this site
 * Research 75 facts with sources:**

36.] -Komodo dragons are limited to a few volcanic Indonesian islands of the Lesser Sunda group including Komodo, the largest at 22 miles (35 km) long, Rintja, Padar, and Flores.  37.]-They escape the heat of the day and seek refuge at night in burrows that are barely big enough for them. 38.]-Komodo dragons eat almost any kind of meat. 39.]-They scavenge from carcasses or stalk animals ranging in size from small rodents to large water buffalo. 40.]-The young mostly feed on small gecko lizards or insects. 41.]-They are tertiary predators (predator at the top of the food chain) and are cannibalistic. 42.]-A kill is usually shared by many Komodo dragons and very little is wasted. 43.]-Although males tend to grow larger and bulkier than females, no obvious morphological differences mark the genders. 44.]-Gendering Komodos remains a challenge to researchers; the dragons themselves appear to have little trouble figuring out who is who. 45.]-Dominant males can become embroiled in ritual combat in their quest for females.Using their tails for support, they wrestle in upright postures, grabbing each other with their forelegs as they attempt to throw the opponent to the ground. 46.]-The female Komodo lays about 30 eggs in September. 47.]-The female lays in depressions dug on hill slopes or within the pilfered nests of Megapode birds. 48.]-While the eggs are incubating, about nine months, females may lie on the nests, protecting their future offspring. 49.]-The hatchlings weigh less than 3.5 ounces (100 g) and average only 16 inches (40 cm) in length. 50.]-Their early years are precarious, and they often fall victim to predators, including their fellow Komodos. 51.]-They feed on a diverse diet of insects, small lizards, snakes, and birds. 52.]- Slow growth continues throughout their lives, which may last more than 30 years. 53.]-Komodo dragons are endangered due in part to their limited range. 54.]-It would appear that they have been hunted (legally and illegally) over the years, but not to the extent of decimating the population. 55.]-Villagers sometimes poison carrion bait to reduce the population, much like ranchers of the American West poison sheep carcasses to rid the area of coyotes and mountain lions. http://www.honoluluzoo.org/komodo_dragon.htm facts from this site 56.]-Females are usually under 8 feet and weigh about 150 lbs. (68 kg.). 57.]-Despite its size, the Komodo is fast moving and agile. 58.]-The highly flexible skull allows it to swallow large pieces of its food. 59.]-The largest threat is volcanic activity, fire and subsequent loss of its prey base. 60.]-Commercial trade in specimens or skins is illegal under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). 61.]-**Wild Population:** 3,000 to 5,000. 62.]-Young dragons will descend from the tree they live in for carrion. 63.]-The natural habitat of Komodo dragons is extremely harsh by human standards. 64.]-These arid volcanic islands have steep slopes and little available water most of the year. 65.]-Outsiders found out about the Komodo dragons after WW1 when a report came from a downed aircraft and the surviving pilot swam to Komodo Island. 66.]-Males maintain and defend a territory and patrol up to 1.2 miles (2 km.) per day. 67.]-Territories are dependent on the size of the dragon. 68.]-Feeding ranges extend further and may be shared with other males. 69.]-Dragons maintain burrows within their core ranges and occasionally males will swim from island to island over long distances. 70.]-They regulate their body temperature (__thermoregulation__ ) by using a burrow. __Wildlife of the World Book__ facts from this book 71]-Komodos can't run far,but they can outrun a human for a short distance. 72.]-Their jaws can tear away huge chunks of flesh with a single bite. 73.]-Like other lizards,they can unhinge their jaws and swallow pieces of food larger than their heads. 74.]Like other lizards,the dragon uses its tongue to smell an do find its prey. 75.]-There are fewer than 500 female Komodos in the world. 

**In the wild, an adult Komodo dragon usually weighs around 150 lb. They usually grow to a length of 9.8 ft long.The Komodo dragon has a tail as long as its body, as well as about 60 frequently replaced serrated teeth that can measure up to 1 inch in length.****Its saliva is frequently blood-tinged, because its teeth are almost completely covered by** [|**gingival tissue**] **that is naturally lacerated during feeding.** **It also has a long, yellow, deeply forked tongue.** || **Life Cycle Female Komodo dragons lay an average of about 20 to 25 soft, leathery eggs in September. The eggs are about twice the size of a chicken egg, weighing in at about 125g. The eggs incubate for about 8 - 9 months during the wet season. About a quarter to a fifth of each clutch fails to hatch. Wild boar or other Komodos may eat whole clutches. Although parental care after egg laying is minimal or non-existent, in some cases it appears that the female is guarding the nest site prior to egg-laying, protecting it from other females. While some females lay the whole clutch of eggs over a few hours, others are more sporadic and can take several weeks. This nest guarding behavior could be associated with the slower egg laying. The eggs are laid in depressions dug on hill slopes or pilfered nests of the orange-legged scrub fowl. This bird is about the size of a chicken, and instead of sitting on the eggs to incubate them, it lays them in mounds of rotting vegetation. As the vegetation rots, it creates warmth, which incubates the egg. The Komodo dragon lays its eggs much deeper than the bird does, about 1.5-1.65m from the surface. This is because the temperature needed by the Komodo dragon eggs is lower than that required by the birds. Old, disused nests are preferred, as they no longer generate internal heat. Komodo dragons can live up to 50 years. ** || **Growth Komodo dragons usually weigh 150 lb and 9.8 ft. The largest wild specimen was 10.3 feet long and weighed 370 lb. ** || **Body Functions Komodos can run 12.4 mph for short distances.They can also climb trees,and dive 15 feet into the water.It is able to see as far away as 980 feet. ** || **Location / Habitat  Surrounded by swift currents, and man-eating sharks, the Komodo Island is located in the middle of 17,000 islands between the Pacific and Indian oceans, known as Indonesia. The island is relatively small in size, just twenty-two miles long and twelve miles wide and since Komodo is close to the equator the island is always very hot. The weather on Komodo Island is very dry except when the monsoon winds bring in heavy rains from December to March. Ancient maps would mark this island by writing **"Beware! Here Be Dragons!" **to warn explorers of the giant lizards that lived there. Although the majority of the Komodo dragons live on the Komodo Island, they can also be found on three surrounding islands: Flores, Gili Motang and Rinca. Until the 1970's they also inhabited the island of Padar. A big blaze swept across the island in 1984. The plant eating animals that survived the fire had no food, and as a result died of starvation. This forced the Komodo Dragons to swim over to Rinja or Komodo in order to survive. ** || **Adaption They eat almost everything of their prey and extract almost all nutrition from what they eat. So they don't need to feed often. It appears that in the wild, the dragons eat very well about once a month. They only eat a few small tidbits between these larger irregular meals. In addition, the Komodo dragon can put away large quantities of food in a short time. In an environment where food is hard to come by, the Komodo dragon needs to eat as much as possible when it can. And it has to do this fast before other, possibly bigger Komodo dragons arrive at the scene. To swallow huge chunks of meat, like a snake, the dragon has movable joints in its skull and jaws that allow the lower jaw to be opened unusually wide. Its throat and jaw muscles allow it to swallow huge chunks of meat rapidly. The stomach also expands easily, allowing this huge intake of food--up to 80% of its starved body weight in one sitting! A 50kg animal is recorded to have consumed a 31kg pig in just 17 minutes! Komodo dragons rarely need to drink. They get 85% of their liquid from their prey, another adaptation of their efficient digestive system to their dry environment. Very little fluid is excreted. ** || **Problems Komodo dragons don't get along well with the natives of Komodo Island,they usually maul them,which make people really afraid of these giant lizards. Komodos live on only a few islands in Indonesia and their declining numbers have prompted scientists to list them as them threatened. Habitat destruction and poaching are the prime reasons, as well as periodic volcanoes, hurricanes and fires. ** || **Behavior** Hatchling Komodo dragons are [|arboreal]. Juveniles and subadults are both arboreal and terrestrial. Adult individuals are strictly terrestrial; their large body size hinders climbing trees. Komodo dragons have been occasionally observed swimming for short distances, close to mangrove forest. || **Diet Komodo dragons are carnivores. Although they eat mostly [|carrion], they will also ambush live prey with a stealthy approach, a technique that has allowed the Komodo dragon to capture even the most lethal prey, such as the King Cobra. The primary prey for wild adult dragons is the Sunda deer, but they also eat birds, snakes, fish, crabs, snails, small mammals, pigs, water buffalo, eggs, wild horses and younger Komodos. ** || **Predators / Prey Komodo dragons predators are humans[poaching] and themselves. Komodos will sometimes eat other Komodos if they get hungry enough. <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">Adult **//komodo dragons prey// **on pigs, goats, deer, young buffalo, and horses. They have also been known to eat people and will pretty much eat anything they can catch. Babies eat small animals,like insects.** || **Family groups A group of Komodo dragons is called a "clan".** || **Relatives <span style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(220, 20, 60); font-family: Times; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;">The Komodo dragon is a monitor lizard and is related to the other monitor species, including the extinct Australian giant known as Megalania. <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 4px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 4px;">The Komodo dragon is a distant relative of mosasaur. ** ||  ||
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 * Sloppy Copy drafts of writing

__Monitor Lizard__ Try the Komodo dragons' favorite food! carrion....... $12.45 [these carcasses are very nice with some ketchup and salt] king cobra filet.......$35.00[although expensive,you will find out that it is totally worth every penny. It's a feast fit for a King!] Sunda Deer venison.......$15.00[these deer are hard to catch,enjoy the finest deer in the WORLD!] bird stew.......$6.00[ You can find them almost anywhere,but we prepare them to perfection!] snake,fish,and crab salad.......$14.95[this is a nice salad if you are on a diet,don't let all the meat fool you.] snail sundae.......$ 1.75[The best sundae you will ever taste! It will demand your taste buds.] pig.......$7.00[Of course you've had bacon,you need to try it raw!] water buffalo and wild horse deluxe....... $23.00[These meat combinations will taste very well,and don't worry,there is a lot of it!] eggs.......$5.00[these are not regular eggs, we prepare them a different way...] little komodo soup.......$18.00[it's okay to try,Komodo dragons eat younger Komodo dragons,it's delicious!]

__A day with..... the Komodo dragon__

One day,the majestic Komodo dragon was searching for it's food. They have to do this a lot,because little is usually wasted. It sees it's prey,and starts to stalk it. Many hours go by,but the Komodo dragon is so stealthy that it's prey doesn't know it is there. The Komodo dragon leaps out,and bites it's prey. The prey gets hurt,but darts away. The Komodo dragon has not failed,but succeeded. The poisonous venom in the Komodo dragon's saliva will kill the animal in about two to three hours. Now all the Komodo dragon can do is wait. Wait for it's prey to slowly die. The dragon stalks it's prey for a while more,not letting it know that he/she is there. When the animal finally falls, the Komodo dragon takes it back to it's clan. The animal was only a pig,but the Monitor Lizard [Komodo dragon] can take down big animals like a water buffalo.Or a wild horse. The pig is gone in a matter of time,and the dragons need more. Komodo dragons can swim,climb trees,and run over 20 mph. Komodo dragons have no real predators,unless you count humans,or other Komodo dragons. Being on the top of the food chain helps these animals with every-day life. When tourists come to Komodo Island, they are greeted by a sign that reads "Beware! Here be dragons!" That must mean that even humans die from these fierce predators,and they do. But sadly the Komodo dragon is an endangered species,even worse. Even being close to extinction,they are still very popular. People love these amazing animals,there is even a zoo/park so that they are fully protected. But the zoo/park doesn't have all the dragons. There are only about 200 female dragons,and around 400 to 500 male. Possibly more.

K- udos[for surviving,being endangered and all] O-blivious to other animals M-ajestic when hunting O-utstanding at killing things D-ominate hunters O-n the hunt a lot

D-emanding for food R-avenous eaters A-mazing at swimming G-reat at not wasting things O-n the top of the food chain N-ot afraid of anything

media type="googlemap" key="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=-8.6,119.5&spn=90,0&msid=100004090475997117087.00046ad0e3df908dcf529&output=embed" width="425" height="350" __Question and answer with Bob, the Komodo Dragon!__Interviewer: mw37 Announcer: "It's that time,ladies and gentlemen,time for mw37 to uncover the deep truth about the Komodo Dragon! mw37: "What is an adaption you have?" Bob: "I have movable joints in my skull and jaws that allow me to open my lower jaw unusually wide."mw37: "What is something about your appearance that people may not know about you?"Bob: "Well,I have a yellow tongue,and my saliva is frequently blood-tinged."mw37:"What is a group of Komodo dragons called?"Bob:"What exactly do you mean?"mw37:"You know how a group of lions is called a pack? At least I think they are. What is a group of Komodo dragons called?"Bob: "Oh... we're called a clan."mw37: "How many baby Komodo dragons are born at a time?"Bob:"Twenty to twenty-five." mw37:"How long do you get?" Bob:"We can grow to 10 feet,the largest ever was 10.3 feet."mw37:"How much do you usually weigh?"Bob: "150 pounds,the largest ever was 350 pounds."mw37:"Do you have a good sense of smell?"Bob:"I'm going to tell you an answer that is for a different question. We smell with our tongues."mw37:"How far can you see?" Bob:"Up to 300 meters. mw37: Thank you for taking time out to do this interview. Revised Writing