One of the 4 dragons on WAnimals
Reptiles · Squamata · Varanidae
Varanus komodoensis
At very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
The largest lizard in the world, with saliva loaded with bacteria and venom that weakens its prey after the initial attack.
Weight
70 kg – 90 kg
Size
2 m – 3 m
Life expectancy
30 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Hard
Estimated population
Some 3,500 animals counting adults and juveniles, of which roughly 1,400 are mature individuals and around 400 breeding females, spread across eight subpopulations; none exceeds 500 animals
AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.
Sources consulted: Animal Diversity Web; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); SDZWA Library Fact Sheet; ResearchGate (longevity note); Eco-savvy.blog; Fox News (differential female lifespan study); Jessop et al. 2021, IUCN Red List e.T22884A123633058: los modelos climáticos proyectan un declive superior al 30 % en 40 años desde 2010 || Jessop et al. 2021, IUCN Red List; San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library
Best time: April to December
The pins mark the parks and dive sites where its presence is documented.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Komodo Dragon — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The komodo dragon is classified as endangered. Organisations such as Komodo Survival Program work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 2 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about komodo dragon.
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