It was not until the early 1900s that scientists confirmed the existence of these incredible giant lizards. It probably never was more widely distributed, although maps of ancient mariners had notations of “here be dragons” dotted throughout the islands of what is now Malaysia and Indonesia. The Komodo dragon occurs only on Komodo and its few smaller outlying islands north of Australia (see Spotlight on Island Biogeography). The Komodo dragon, or Komodo monitor lizard, is thought to be the source of Chinese legends of great scaly man-eating monsters, the dragons that are still featured prominently in Chinese folklore and religion. Imagine being shipwrecked on a remote island and finding yourself face-to-face with the world’s largest living lizard - a meat-eating monster up to 12 feet (3.6 m) long, weighing 300 pounds (136 kg)! The first visitors to Komodo Island probably were terrified by these prehistoric-looking beasts when they encountered the Komodo dragon. Threats: Illegal hunting, habitat encroachment, climate changeĬonservation Action Needed: Site management, invasive species control, species management, compliance and enforcement Range: Indonesia (islands of Komodo, Rintja, Padar and Flores) Name: Komodo Dragon ( Varanus komodoensis)Ĭonservation Status: Endangered (2021 IUCN Red List)
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