Lonely Planet: Drag-on
Hey, handsome! I'm over here!
It may not look a lot like the colourful dragons you see at Chinese new year (which it inspired), but the Komodo dragon is truly a fiercesome beast. It is actually a monitor lizard, sharing the species' tapered head, visible ear openings, long and slender neck, massive body and legs, extremely effective long tail and scaly body. It is a sun-worshipper, and doesn't budge until its cold blood has thoroughly warmed up. Apart from its tail, which can easily floor a weaker adversary, the Komodo's sharp teeth and dagger-like claws are its best weapons.
Its favourite treats are goat, deer and wild pig, which it devours when the carcass has putrefied to perfection. To catch its prey, it lies in wait beside frequently used tracks and grabs a leg of a passing victim or knocks it over with a swing of the tail. Once they've caught their prey they don't readily let go! A komodo can expand its mouth cavity to an alarming extent, enabling it to push a whole goat down its throat. They will also eat their own dead. The dragons are almost stone deaf, but their very keen sense of smell keeps them primed for the unmistakable aroma of rotting flesh.
Photograph © John Noble
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