Even if the Komodo dragons fail to make a kill immediately, their venomous bite delivers toxins that stop the blood from clotting. Once the Komodo dragons have detected their victims, they pounce upon them in a surprise attack from behind the tall grasses of the savannas, driving their sharp teeth into the flesh of their prey. They commonly hunt live prey, which they stalk by flicking out their long, forked tongues that are adapted to detect scents in the air. Komodo dragons are meat-eating predators. They are also capable swimmers and sometimes swim long distances between islands. Although these animals are quite large and heavy, they are remarkably agile climbers and can run with a surprising amount of speed. Komodo dragons are quadrupeds, meaning that they stand and walk on all four legs. The tails are powerful enough to knock a large mammal, such as a water buffalo, off of its feet with one swipe. The long tails are equal to the length of their bodies.

The scales covering the animals’ bodies are usually a dull, dark gray in color and are separated by a somewhat brighter-colored skin in between.

Komodo dragons are believed to have possibly influenced some ancient myths of fire-breathing dragons because of their yellow forked tongues and foul breath, which is caused by bacteria-infested saliva. The powerful jaws are equipped with about 60 razor-sharp, serrated teeth that are replaced quite often. The large flexible jaw and muscled throat can expand to accommodate the large chunks of flesh that these animals gulp down. The head is flat, and the long snout is rounded. Komodo dragons have robust bodies and thick, muscular legs with feet that end in sharp claws. Females are generally smaller than males.

The imposing giant Komodo dragons reach a length of up to 10 feet (3 meters) and weigh approximately 300 pounds (135 kilograms).

Comodo dragon update verison