Lizard in Snake’s Clothing?
Even though Komodo dragons live far away in Indonesia, they’re pretty famous. They’re the largest lizard in the world and are not exactly as harmless as your average chameleon.
Komodo dragons are carnivores, which means they like to eat meat. Really any sort of meat will do — anything from animals to other Komodo dragons to people!! It was believed for a long time that Komodo dragons killed by the bacteria transferred from their bite, but now scientists are thinking otherwise.
Animal venom expert Bryan Fry of the University of Melbourne and his team of scientists have discovered that the Komodo dragon actually has 6 venom glands on each side of its lower jaw! Altogether, these glands can hold about 1.2 milliliters of venom. Upon further testing, Fry concluded that the Komodo dragon venom has roughly the same makeup as snake venom; both cause thinning of the blood and cause the blood vessels to become larger, which will lead to shock and then possibly death.
Let this be a lesson! When tromping through the woods, be wary of lizards that might cross your path. Just because they look cute and fun doesn’t mean they can’t hurt you. Thankfully the Komodo dragon (which can grow to be up to 10 ft. long and weigh up to 300 lbs.) won’t be venturing into the States anytime soon. If you want to see one, go to the zoo where there will be a safe barrier between it and you.
Photo Credit: Chris Kegelman
