Komodo Dragon

Venom, not just bacteria

For decades, the Komodo dragon’s killing mechanism was attributed entirely to bacteria in its saliva. Research from 2009 revealed it also has venom glands between its teeth that secrete anticoagulant and hypotensive venom — causing prey wounds to bleed profusely and preventing blood clotting. The combination of physical trauma from the serrated teeth, venom injection, and bacterial load makes bites from large adults dangerous. Large prey is bitten and then followed as it weakens.

Hunting large prey

Komodo dragons hunt deer, wild boar, and water buffalo. They ambush prey near water sources, delivering a powerful bite and disembowelling slash, then following the injured animal as it flees. Smaller animals are dispatched quickly; large animals may be tracked for hours or days. Komodos are also significant scavengers and can detect carrion from up to 9 km away using their forked, chemoreceptive tongues.

Parthenogenesis

Female Komodo dragons can reproduce parthenogenetically — producing fertile eggs without sperm, a rare ability in vertebrates. The offspring are all male (because Komodo dragons use a ZW sex-determination system, and unfertilised eggs with WW chromosomes are not viable). This allows a single female to colonise a new island — the male offspring can then reproduce sexually with their mother.

Conservation

Komodo dragons survive in the wild only on their few native islands — a total wild population estimated at around 3,500 individuals. Komodo National Park protects the primary populations. Threats include poaching of deer (reducing prey availability), climate change raising sea levels, and human encroachment.