Although the island people have lived with the enormous lizards for generations, they were virtually unknown to outsiders until they were officially described by Europeans in 1912. This late discovery of the Komodo Dragon was one of the great surprises in zoology. And the creatures are still fascinating to those who study them. Even if an animal is lucky enough to escape after a Komodo attack, prey that has been bitten usually falls victim to a fast-moving bacterial infection and dies in a short time. The Komodo just waits for the smell of the rotting carcass, then tracks down its meal.
Young dragons live in trees to avoid their cannibalistic elders.
Komodos have been observed gobbling down more than 80 percent of their own weight in one meal. The Komodo dragon's imposing teeth are more like a shark's than a reptile's. In just one year, a Komodo gets up to 200 new teeth, each affixed with tiny serrations, like the blade of a steak knife and capable of cutting easily through thick hide and bone. A Komodo Dragon can move quickly when necessary. Komodo dragons are considered national treasures in their native Indonesia, where their export is authorized only by written consent from the president.