They do not defend these home ranges, so ranges can overlap, but if food is found in a shared area, the dominant dragon gets to eat first. Komodo dragons spend the day roaming their home ranges, which can be as large as 1.9 square kilometers. Status: captivity 8.9 years Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research ( "Komodo Dragon", 2005 "Lizards and Worm Lizards - Sauria and Amphisbaenia", 1991)Īlthough many Varanus komodoensis individuals fall prey to other animals as hatchlings, ones that live to adulthood usually have a lifespan of around 50 years. They then lie on the nest while the eggs are incubating, but there is no evidence of any parental care once the eggs hatch. Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)įemale Komodo dragons dig a nest chamber in the ground for their eggs and cover it with earth and leaves.Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male) 10 years.Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female).Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female) 9 years.Breeding season Breeding occurs from July to September.Breeding interval Varanus komodoensis breeds once yearly, but females will often mate more than once to ensure that their eggs are fertilized.It is estimated that females reach sexual maturity after 9 years and males reach it after 10 years. As a result, they move to nearby trees as soon as they are able. Hatchlings are about 37 centimeters long and have a high mortality rate, frequently falling prey to adults and other species. The eggs are buried in the earth and take about 8 months to hatch. Females lay up to thirty eggs about a month later (September) to avoid the hot summer months and allow a chance for a second mating. The mating season of Varanus komodoensis occurs yearly in July and August. ( "Komodo Dragon", 2005 "Lizards and Worm Lizards - Sauria and Amphisbaenia", 1991 Ciofi and Jessop, 2004 Murphy, et al., 2002) After mating, some males will stay with the female for a few days to prevent other males from mating with her. He then grasps her with his claws, lifts her tail with his, and mates with her. If the female exhibits interest, she licks him back. Male Komodo dragons then locate the female, rub their chin on her head, scratch her back, and lick her body. When ready to mate, females give off a scent in their feces that males can detect. They wrestle in an upright position to try to throw the loser to the ground, often drawing blood. Males engage in a ritual combat to mate with females. ( "Komodo Dragon", 2005 Murphy, et al., 2002) Reproduction At 8 months, they grow too large to be arboreal, alter their diet, and become terrestrial. They are also much smaller and more sinuous than the adults, allowing them to live in trees. Young Komodo dragons live in trees to avoid falling prey to older members of the species. Range length 3.1 (high) m 10.17 (high) ft.( "Komodo Dragon", 2005 Cogger and Zweifel, 1992 De Lisle, 1996) Although males tend to grow larger, there are no obvious morphological differences between the sexes. Their skulls are flexible and have sharp, serrated teeth. The heads of Komodo dragons have a rounded snout and ear openings. They have strong limbs and a powerful, muscular tail. Their robust bodies are uniformly covered in rough scales. Adults dull and uniform in color, from brown to grayish red. Juveniles are green with yellow and black bands.
Komodo dragons are the largest lizards, reaching 165 kg and greater than three meters in length. Young Komodo dragons are arboreal and live in forested regions until they are eight months old. They prefer open lowland areas with tall grasses and bushes, but are also found in other habitats, such as beaches, ridge tops, and dry riverbeds. ( "Komodo Dragon", 2005 De Lisle, 1996)Īdult Komodo dragons live mainly in tropical savannah forests. Varanus komodoensis is found only in the lesser Sunda region of the Indonesian archipelago, including the islands of Komodo, Flores, Rinca, and Padar.
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