The
King of the Reptiles | Smithsonian Photo Contest | Smithsonian Magazine. Komodo is home to the worlds largest lizard, the komodo dragon. These dragons can reach close to 10ft in length, and over 300lbs!
The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard in the world. These wild dragons typically weigh about 154 pounds (70 kilograms), but the largest verified specimen reached a length of 10.3 feet (3.13 meters) and weighed 366 pounds (166 kilograms).
Part of Hall of Reptiles and Amphibians. At 10 feet and 200 pounds, the Komodo dragon is the world's biggest and most powerful lizard alive.
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is classified as endangered on International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List, with 1,383 mature individuals remaining in the wild.
Komodo dragons have thrived in the harsh climate of the Indonesian Islands for millions of years. Fossils, from 50,000 years ago, show they used to live in Australia once upon a time! Due to the increasing threats of habitat destruction, poaching and natural disasters, these dragons are considered a vulnerable species.
What Eats It? Adults are top predators but juvenile dragons are preyed upon by adult dragons, feral dogs, wild boars, civet cats and snakes. Komodo dragons are solitary animal except during breeding although groups of dragons may gather to feed at a kill.
A lion would win a fight against a Komodo dragon. Lions are larger and heavier and have something that the Komodo dragon lacks: the ability to kill their enemy with a single blow.
A crocodile would win a fight against a Komodo dragon. Crocodiles are simply too large and too powerful for a Komodo dragon to fight back against. One likely outcome would be the crocodile waiting for the Komodo dragon in the water and dragging it beneath the waves to suffer a brutal death.
Description: The Perentie is Australia's largest lizard. Its body is rich brown with large cream or yellow markings. It has a forked tongue and numerous very sharp, slightly curved teeth. The Perentie also has a strong tail and powerful legs with five, clawed toes.
The rarest lizard is the Jamaican iguana (Cyclura collei), a critically endangered species only rediscovered in 1990.
The Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator) is second-biggest lizard in the world after Komodo dragon, and also the longest lizard in the world.
The king cobra is an apex predator and dominant over all other snakes except large pythons.
The king cobra—one of the most venomous snakes on the planet—can literally "stand up" and look a full-grown person in the eye. When confronted, they can lift up to a third of its body off the ground and still move forward to attack.
The bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) is the most popular herp kept by reptile keepers, according to a study based off Google Trends research published this month by the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research.
An adult anaconda would win a fight against a Komodo dragon. The Komodo dragon is a highly capable fighter, but it would not be able to deal fatal damage to the anaconda before it was grabbed and crushed. Anacondas can successfully attack crocodiles, creatures that can kill faster than a Komodo dragon.
A gorilla would beat a Komodo dragon in a fight. Many people believe that Komodo dragons are venomous. While that is true in a sense, they don't have a venom that will paralyze and knock out their prey.
An ambush by the tiger would instantly end a fight against a Komodo dragon, and the tiger would just as easily win a battle without the element of surprise.
An attack from a Komodo dragon can be fatal—even to humans. Compared to crocodilians and other reptiles, Komodo dragons have relatively weak bite strength. Instead, they rely on their sharp, curved teeth and long, sturdy claws to slash and tear at their prey with astonishing force.
A Komodo dragon would win a fight against a honey badger. Although honey badgers have a lot of endurance and tenacity, the fact is that they cannot deal fatal damage to the large lizard.
Reaching lengths of more than 23 feet (6.5 m) and weights over 2,200 pounds (~1,000 kilos), the saltwater crocodile is the largest reptile on the planet and is a formidable predator throughout its range.