Stephen Harrison - Englisch-Verständnis für fortgeschrittene Anfänger - Buch 1

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Over three metres long, with extremely sharp claws, huge teeth and a poisonous bite Does this sound like something from a horror film? In fact, it is a description of the Komodo dragon. These reptiles are real and they are one of natures most incredible creatures. Read on to find out what makes them so special.

Komodo dragons have lived on some of Indonesia's Islands for thousands of years, but these modern day dinosaurs were only discovered about 100 years ago. One story tells that the Komodo dragon was first discovered during WWI (World War One), when an airplane crash landed in the waters around the islands. The story tells how the pilot swam to Komodo Island, where he was surrounded by the terrifying, huge lizards. It sounds like something out of an action movie, and the story is actually a myth.

We dont know exactly when Komodo dragons were first discovered but the earliest stories come from 1910 to 1912. The existence of the Komodo dragon was confirmed in 1926. This was the year that the explorer W. Douglas Burden led an expedition to Komodo. He was working for the American Museum of Natural History. He returned from his trip with twelve dead specimens and two living komodo dragons.

The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard in the world. Some Komodo dragons can be 3 meters long and can weigh more than 130 kg. This means that Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards on Earth. They have long heads with short snouts, scaly skin, short legs, and big, strong tails. The largest dragon ever found was 3.13 m long. It weighed 166 kg, however this might have included a large amount of undigested food in its stomach. Normally, the largest Komodo dragons weigh about 70 kg.

Komodo dragons are the top predators on the islands where they live. They will eat nearly anything, including carrion, smaller dragons, wild horses and pigs, large water buffalo and sometimes unlucky humans! Although the Komodo can run briefly at 20 kilometres per hour, Komodo dragons usually hunt using camouflage and patience. They can spend hours in one place, waiting for their prey. When their unfortunate victim passes, the dragons attack and rip it to pieces.

Komodo dragon saliva has more than 50 types of bacteria. If the prey animal is bitten and escapes, it usually dies of blood poisoning quite quickly. If this happens, the dragons follow and locate the dead or dying animal by using their excellent sense of smell.

Many large carnivores, such as tigers, do not eat 25 to 30 per cent of their prey. They leave the stomach, hide, bones, and feet. However, Komodo dragons are less wasteful and leave only about 12 per cent of their prey. They eat bones, feet, fur and skin - they even eat the stomach!

A Komodo dragon can eat 80 per cent of its own body weight. However, when they feel scared or nervous, Komodo dragons can throw up the contents of their stomachs. This makes them lighter so they can escape more easily.

There is a population of roughly 4000 Komodo dragons on the island of Komodo and the smaller surrounding islands. However, the species is endangered due to hunting, natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, forest fires and human expansion.

Komodo dragons have always been popular in zoos around the world. Visitors love their huge size and scary reputation. However, they are quite rare in zoos because they are vulnerable to infections and parasitic diseases.

Despite all that we have learned about these magnificent creatures during the last century, we still have a great deal to learn. Who knows what secrets these amazing reptiles will reveal in years to come?

Click on this link to see a short video on Komodo dragons.