Monitor Lizard Care The venom quickens the blood loss process and sends the victim to lethargy or shock. Komodo dragons can still attack you, even if they are in captivity, and it happened. and Terms of Use. They are quick eaters with large bodies. Komodo Dragon Depending on environmental conditions, Komodo dragon females can procreate asexually through a process known as parthenogenesis. Can you survive a bite from a Komodo dragon? This is considerably less than other non-venomous reptiles such as crocodiles or tegu lizards which rely on their teeth to crush and kill their preys. Who has the strongest bite force? The worlds largest and most prehistoric-looking lizard has a deadly bite that likes to be kept hidden. And the most bizarre thing about a diet of a Komodo dragon is that it eats corpses, human corpses. However, as crocodiles can reach up to 20 feet long and weigh in at 2,000 pounds, they have the size advantage over Komodo dragons, who grow up to 10 feet long and weigh 300 pounds. A Komodo dragon, Varanus komodoensis, crawling on Rica Island, Komodo National Park in Indonesia. Gold Tegu However, the combination of PSI, with brute strength, biting venom, and their highly sharp teeth are what makes a Komodo dragon bite powerful and dangerous. The Komodo Dragon may be an extreme case, but the new findings also bolster the argument that forces produced by the neck and limbs may be important for other predators in prosecuting a successful kill, he notes. Uromastyx Care 2 hours of sleep? Humans have threatened this species until a vulnerable state in the past, but today they are strictly protected. Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. Their name suits them well, as Komododragonsare truecarnivoresthat attack all sorts of animals in the wild, even humans. Indonesian villages have also reported deep wound bites and fatalities from Komodo dragons. r/Damnthatsinteresting/Reddit, Sex Education season 4 confirmed to drop on Netflix this year, South Korean art student eats 96,000 banana duct taped to wall 'because he was hungry', Reason most humans are right-handed explained in violent theory, Footballer Sydney Leroux demands EA deflates her boobs on FIFA, MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo has died at the age of 46, Marcus Rashford saves female footballer from male mob in nightclub, People divided over homeowner's 'mean' method to stop people walking across his grass, Kayaker captures terrifying footage of great white shark trying to take a bite of his oar, Sickening effect of Komodo dragon bite on flesh is being compared to The Last Of Us, A shocking number of Americans actually believe chocolate milk comes from brown cows, Dog owners given sinister threat with abusive note stuck to top of wheelie bin. The fatal attacks include the death of an 8-year-old boy onKomodo Islandin 2007 after being attacked by the giant lizard. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. But, if you ever have a chance to visit these islands, be sure to keep this information in your mind Komodo dragons attack humans. Komodo dragons have 60 razor-sharp teeth shaped like sickles. The content is provided for information purposes only. In fact, the force the bite produces is about 1,000 PSI (pounds per square inch), and for comparison, the strength of a shark bite is 4,000 PSI. To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders, Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications, .css-o3g03s{color:black;}Published4:41,20 January 2023 GMT.css-1aaqh7x{color:#666666;}@media (min-width:1024px){.css-1aaqh7x{color:#666666;}}| Last updated4:41,20 January 2023 GMT. Equipped with 60 shark-like teeth and snake-like venom, the Komodo dragon is an apexpredatorin the wild and a dangerous threat to humans. Despite their size and ferocity, Komodo dragons have a relatively weak bite force of only 39 newtons, or around 500 to 600 PSI. However, this only happens when food is scarce, so dont get scared; theres little to no chance for you to get eaten by a Komodo dragon. And it happens so often that people living in the areas where there are Komodo dragons had to move the grave of their loved ones to different locations. They are not the best idea to keep pets as they are fierce hunters and difficult to tame. 58 0 obj<> endobj This lizards teeth break frequently and they can go through up to five sets of teeth during the course of their 30 to 50-year lives. The findings suggest that the Komodo's ancient relative, the Megalania, used a similar venom-plus-wounding approach. Although they are little, smaller Komodo Dragons are excellent hunters but will often lose their meal to larger dragons. Most of the time, bite force is measured in pounds per square inch or PSI for short. These reptiles are cannibalistic tertiary predators at the apex of their food chain. While Komodo Dragons somewhat resemble the lovable dragon Toothless from Dreamworks How to Train Your Dragon, their teeth do follow suit. Komodo dragons are equipped with armor-like scales, so you should target their eyes, nose, and inside of their mouth in order to keep the animal away. Komodo Dragons look like they dont have teeth, but beneath viscous and fleshy gums lay 60 serrated teeth that are an inch long. With his curiosity, experience, and love for the natural world, Aleksandar brings a unique perspective to his writing. The species remarkably has a stomach that is able to expand when needed, so its possible for them to consume up to 80% of their body weight. 0000023377 00000 n All rights reserved, "Komodo Dragon's Bite Is 'Weaker Than a House Cat's. As mentioned before, these lizards have an amazing smell. Overall, crocodiles are bigger, stronger, and faster than Komodo dragons. For decades, scientists thought these animals relied on bacteria to take down prey. The Komodo Dragon is the world's largest lizard, . A corpse may be located by their noses up to four miles. To save chestnut trees, we may have to play God, Why you should add native plants to your garden, What you can do right now to advocate for the planet, Why poison ivy is an unlikely climate change winner. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no Are Komodo Dragons Dangerous? Do Komodo Dragons Eat People? What is surprising, Fry said, is Komodo dragons' elaborate venom-delivery system.