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.

Attacks on humans by Komodo dragons — said to number at less than 4,000 in the wild — are rare, but seem to have increased in recent years. An 8-year-old boy was killed in 2007 — the first recorded deadly attack on a human by one of the endangered lizards in three decades.

Komodo Island has a surface area of 390 square kilometres and a human population of over two thousand. The people of the island are descendants of former convicts who were exiled to the island and who have mixed with Bugis from Sulawesi.

In the wild, they live in Komodo National Park in Indonesia, but many can be found at zoos in the U.S.

Can I outrun a Komodo dragon? The Komodo Dragons are the heaviest lizards on earth, they weigh an average 300 pounds and can grow up to 10 feet long. Even so, they are incredibly fast, and can outrun many animals and definitely humans!

Attacks on humans are rare, but Komodo dragons have been responsible for several human fatalities, in both the wild and in captivity. According to data from Komodo National Park spanning a 38-year period between 1974 and 2012, there were 24 reported attacks on humans, five of them fatal.

The komodo’s tail is as long as its body and it has a long forked tongue. However, it can use its tongue to detect smells and taste. The komodo dragon sticks out its tongue and swings its head from side to side when it moves. This allows it to find prey up to 6 miles away!