A giant 70kg lizard with razor-sharp teeth and enough venom to kill a human might sound like something from a nightmare, but it’s actually very real.
The Komodo dragon is endemic to several Indonesian islands, and is a powerful apex predator thanks to its sheer size, as well as its ability to ambush prey. These incredible images show the pure strength and power of these striking lizards.
Komodo dragons make light work of prey such as antelope and goats - GettyKomodo dragons squabble over food - GettyThe largest dragons fight over mates and territory, and can sometimes turn vicious - GettyKomodo dragons have a pair of venom glands in their lower jaws. They distribute this venom by raking their teeth through their prey's flesh - GettySmaller Komodo dragons are at risk of being cannibalised by older, larger dragons - GettyThe apex predator is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Flores, Rinca, Gili Dasami and Gili Motang - GettyKomodo dragons use their tongue to detect, smell and taste carrion - GettyOn Komodo island, the Ata Modo people live alongside these giant lizards – often allowing their goats to be predated on - GettyKomodo island is notable for its population of Komodo dragons, which are named after the island - GettyAs an ambush predator, Komodo dragons will pounce on prey and dispatch it using their sharp, iron-tipped teeth - Getty
Sophie is the content creator for discoverwildlife.com and its sister title countryfile.com. She manages the Q+A section of BBC Wildlife and covers the latest natural history TV and film releases.
