Komodo The Latest Dragon on Earth

According to me, komodo is a cute rare animal. Its big body but its bites don’t strong. Even its bite weakest than a house cat. Indonesia keep a lot of very rare animal, komodo is the one. Komodo Island isn’t as famous as Bali. We used to see komodo in the local zoo. Honesty I never go to Komodo Island, if you want ask why, the answer is I don’t have enough money to go there. So did anyone invite me to go to this place :)

Do you know " ora" ???

did you know if komodo called ora in place of people in local area. Island komodo is residence they are called. Because its population which always declines and concerns government of Indonesia to build national park komodo to protect its population and ecosystem in some islands is including island Komodo, Rinca, and Padar. Latter is specified also Preserve Wae Wuul and Wolo Tado in Pulau Flores to assist conservation komodo.

Did you believes that komodo bite as weak house cat bite ???

Just like I said before if komodo bite isn’t comparable with its body.
“Its bites very weak for that big reptile, weaker than average of house cat bitesays Stephen Wroe, from New South Wales University, Australia.
The conclusion is taken after studying bone structure komodo from specimen on file in Australian Museum, Sydney.
That report the result of his research in new edition Journal of Anatomy.
He’s conclusion taken after learn komodo bone structure from the specimen which keep in Australia Museum, Sydney. Using computer simulation model. Wroe can determine power and function part of bone around its mouth which have important job to pounce. According to him, if komodo really chew its food powerful as crocodile, its skull can be broken cause some of the space between joints like sponge.
Power of its bite doesn’t depend on the pressure, rather its sharp teeth, strong muscle neck and big space in the mouth in order to hold prey body.
Once bite, its prey guarantee wounded badly. Soon they run out of blood and died faint cause the sharp teeth. Especially support by flexible jaw bone like snake. With the result can large the pressure. That structure can because komodo can do combination between biting and pulling when eat the prey for reduce prey struggling. With conquer method which says ‘eat by inertia’, komodo can conquer bigger animal, such as buffalo.
This invention sturdy previously researcher which during the time only observed by komodo behaviors. Although the reality that komodo has big jaw, isn’t big secret, that analyze komodo in detail recently.

Komodo can be tame?

Can komodo place in your house as a pet? Hmm… I don’t think so. They will scratch your valuable furniture.
Like the most animal, komodo can be tame when get right approach. A lot of report that animal tamer has succeed to take komodo out the cage and walking around the zoo. It seems komodo can recognize people one by one. Ruston Hartdegen from Dallas zoo report that komodo recognize the guard that close.

Why becomes so BIG?

Its has long about 2 until 3 meters, and it’s make komodo biggest lizard in the world. Its big body has relation of its place where komodo lives. Island gigantisms make komodo a giant. It happened when there is no other competitor on that island, so komodo can eat much as its want. And komodo become the top predator of that island. Imagine if you’re single and don’t have any brother at all. You will be the king and have full authority to dominate the all food in you’re house J

No need to chase when you can wait

In the end if 2005, Melbourne university Australian researcher has a conclusion that perentie lizard (Varanus giganteus) and other big lizard, and lizard from agamidae group, probably have some kind of venom. Till now is known that wound coz bite of this animal have a big risk of infection because there is some kind of bacteria that live in this animal mouth, however the researcher shows direct effect that appears on the bite cause of venom injection with medium strength. The researcher observed the wounds in human hand as consequence of big lizard Varanus varius, V. scalaris and komodo, and all of it has same reaction: quick swollen in a few minute, local trouble in blood clotting. pain grasping finite to elbow, with few symptom staying finite in a few hour.
If komodo bite did not kill directly and its prey can runaway. Commonly these preys will death in one week coz of infection. The most deadly bacteria in komodo spit is Pasteurella multocida which is so lethal. It knows by research with mouse lab.

What the menu today?

Komodo is carnivore. Even though they eat carcass, research shows that they hunting life food with move stealthily follow by sudden strike to its prey. When the prey comes nearby komodo hidden place, its soon assault prey at the bottom body side or at the throat. Komodo can find its prey by smelling it until 9,5 kilometer. In its groups, biggest komodo usually eat first and then follow by the smaller one. Biggest male show its domination through body language.
Komodo preys are vary, include a vertebrata, other reptile, bird and its egg, little mammals, monkey, goat, pig, deer, horse and buffalo. Young komodo eat insect, egg, and little mammals. Sometimes komodo eat corpses by digging a shallow tomb. These habit cause Komodo Island inhabitant avoid sandy soil and choose to bury corpse in the clay, and cover the top of the tomb with rocks so komodo can’t dig it. Well you should thanks not live in Komodo Island.

What do I look

In nature, adult komodo usually has weight about 70 kilogram, otherwise komodo that take care in a zoo often has bigger body. Biggest wild specimen ever exist has 3.13 meter long and weight 166 kilogram. Even komodo admitted as the biggest lizard still live but not the longest one. This reputation holds by Papua lizard (Varanus salvadorii).
Komodo has same length between tail and body, and approximately 60 serration sharp teeth and 2.5 cm long. Komodo spit frequently mixed by little blood because almost of its teeth covered by gingival tissue and this tissue torn during eat. This circumstance creates ideal growth area for lethal bacteria that live in their mouth.
Komodo has long tongue, yellow and branches. Male komodo bigger than female , with dark grey until red bricks stone skin color. Meanwhile female komodo has green olive skin color. And has small yellow cut on its throat. Young komodo has a solid color and more contrast, with yellow green and white in black background skin color.
Komodo doesn’t have listening sensory, although have ear hole. This lizard able to see until 300 meters long, however cause its retina only has cone cell, this animal seems not so good to see in darkness. Komodo able to difference color however can’t difference unmoving object. Komodo use its tongue to detect sense and smell stimuli. Getting help by the wind and its habit to bend its head left and right when walk, komodo able to detect rotten meat 4—9.5 kilometer far.
Komodo nose hole isn’t good sensory smell because they doesn’t have midriff. Komodo doesn’t have sensory flavors in its tongue; it’s only a few available in tip of sensuous nerves behind the throat. Komodo scales, few of them strengthened by bone, has censor that in circuit with nerve which facilitate sensor excitation.

Why don’t you go to Indonesia

Indonesia is a big nation with a lot of continent, and vary culture in every continent to another. Naturally you can find komodo only in Indonesia, in Komodo Island. The other islands that you can find komodo are Flores and Rinca and some other island in Nusa Tenggara.

Komodo lives in savannah and tropical forest not so high from sea level. Komodo loves this hot and dry place. They active during the day, and sometimes at the night. Komodo is a loner, gather only when they eat and copulate.

This big reptile able to run fast, up to 20 kilometer per hour in a short distance. Swims well and able to dive till 4.5 meters; expert in climbing a tree using their strong claw. To catch prey beyond its reach, komodo can stand with hind foot and use its tail to support.
With age increasing, komodo prefer use its claw for a weapon, because its body size grown bigger make it so hard to climb a tree.
For the hideaway, komodo dig a hole 1-3 meters wide with its front leg and strong claw. Because its big body and habit to sleep in a burrow, komodo can take care body temperature in the nighttime and reduce sunbathe on the next morning.
Komodo usually hunt during the day till the afternoon, but still sheltering during hottest day. This komodo shelters usually resides in dune area or hilly with zephyr set breeze, opened from vegetation, and a lot of animal dirt around. Of course its own dweller dirt. This commonly strategic place used to ambush deer.

Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park covers three large islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and 26 small islands. There are 11 small mountains or large hills, the highest being Mt. Satalibo (" 735 m asl.).

The dry and barren condition of the Park has produced a certain uniqueness. The expanse of savanna, limited water sources and a relatively hot temperature is indeed the preferred habitat of an ancient animal species, the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis).

Most of the Park area is savanna with the fan palm (Borassus flabellifer) as the dominant characteristic plant. Other plants include rattan (Calamus sp.), bamboo (Bambusa sp.), tamarind (Tamarindus indica), kepuh (Sterculia foetida), bidara (Ziziphus jujuba), kesambi (Schleichera oleosa), and mangrove (Rhizophora sp.).

esides the Komodo dragon, the Park is also a habitat for deer (Cervus timorensis floresiensis), wild pig (Sus scrofa), Asian wild dog (Cuon alpinus javanicus), wild horse (Equus qaballus), wild buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), dugong (Dugong dugon); 259 species of coral and 1,000 species of fish, 6 species of whale, 10 species of dolphin, as well as turtles and several species of snake, birds and sharks.

Komodo National Park is a national asset and it has received technical assistance to manage it to international standards. It has been declared by UNESCO as both a Natural World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve.

This Park is frequently visited by international tourists, who often describe it as being like another world. Open plains stretch as far as the eye can see, with the silhouette of occasional fan palms standing out starkly against a background of mountains. The vista of parched and barren savanna is broken by the calls of birds and wild horses, while under the harsh rays of the sun, giant reptiles bathe in the clear blue waters of the Flores sea. It is an unforgettable experience.

Interesting locations/attractions:

Loh Liang: the main entrance gate for those who want to observe wildlife in monsoon forest bordering on white sand beaches. Sites of cultural interest.
Pulau Lasa, Pantai Merah, Loh Bo and Sebita: diving and snorkelling facilitated; there is a dive shop, and glass-bottomed boats are available.
Banu Nggulung: observing animals.

Best time of year to visit: March to June, and October to December.

How to reach the Park: Denpasar-Mataram-Bima by car, 2 days; then proceed by public transport to Sape. From Sape, the Park is reached by ferry. Or Denpasar-Labuan Bajo by plane (twice a week), then proceed to the Park by ferry or speedboat.

Declared : Minister of Forestry, in 1990
Designated : Minister of Forestry, SK No. 306/Kpts-II/95,
a total area of 173,300 hectares
Location : Regency of Manggarai, (Province of East Nusa Tenggara)

Temperature 17° - 43° C
Rainfall 800 - 1,000 mm/year
Altitude 0 - 735 m asl.
Geographical location 119°22' - 119°49' E; 8°23' - 8°50' S

So why don’t you go to Indonesia to se the latest dragon in earth.

article source taken from:

Comments

DaveG said…
You want to see Komodo Dragon? I have posted pictures on my Komodo Dragons and Their Cousins Website. You can see many monitor lizards here.

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