The real-life dragon with venom and a shark-like bite
This lizard is venomous, ten feet long, and can take down a water buffalo.
The short version
The Komodo dragon is the largest lizard on Earth — up to 10 feet long and 150 pounds. It has serrated, shark-like teeth and venom glands that thin the blood and drop blood pressure, so bitten prey bleeds out. It smells carrion from miles away with its forked tongue and can eat 80% of its body weight in one meal.
Why it's so weird
- ✓The Komodo Dragon delivers a venomous bite that thins the blood and crashes the victim's blood pressure, so prey slowly bleeds out.
- ✓The Komodo Dragon is the largest lizard alive, growing up to ten feet long and 150 pounds.
- ✓The Komodo Dragon has curved, serrated teeth like a shark for tearing flesh.
- ✓The Komodo Dragon can smell rotting meat from miles away using its forked tongue, then follows the scent for days.
- ✓The Komodo Dragon can swallow eighty percent of its own body weight in a single meal that lasts a month.
The full story
This lizard is venomous, ten feet long, and can drop a water buffalo. Meet the Komodo dragon, the largest lizard alive and about as close to a real dragon as nature gets. Its mouth is full of curved, serrated teeth like a shark, and its bite delivers venom that thins the blood and crashes the victim's blood pressure. So even if big prey escapes, it slowly bleeds out, and the dragon just follows the scent for days. It can smell rotting meat from miles away using its forked tongue, and it can swallow eighty percent of its own body weight in a single meal. Young dragons even live up in the trees to avoid being eaten by the adults. A single big meal can last it an entire month. A living dragon that hunts with venom. Follow for more weird animal facts.
Watch the 45-second version
Komodo Dragon gallery
