Dennis Edwards, age 11, of Enid, Okla., for his question:
WHAT IS THE KOMODO DRAGON LIKE?
Once upon a time there were huge monsters called dragons. They had snaky scales and long tails, enormous bat type wings and terrible claws. They also breathed fire and fumes ¬and hated all mankind. At least, that is how the story goes. Actually, dragons of this sort never existed. But a certain large lizard called the Komodo dragon is very much alive.
It seems almost impossible to believe that a giant lizard as long as 10 feet and weighing up to 200 pounds could remain undiscovered until the present century. Until 1912 it was assumed that all the large monitor lizards of this type had been identified. Various species had been known in Africa and Asia for ages, and as recently as a century or so ago other monitor kinfolk were identified in Australia. These, however, were smaller species ranging in length from 4 to 7 feet.
In 1912 a Dutch ship returned from a voyage among some lonely Pacific islands between Borneo and Australia. On board the ship were five large dragon type lizards that had been captured on a small island named Komodo, east of Java. The men who studied reptiles were astounded at what they saw.
Studies of these great lizards were conducted later, in 1926, when a group of scientists traveled to Komodo and observed the reptiles in their native habitats. They were verified as monitor lizards and classified with 30 or so known species of the lizard family Varanidae.
The Komodo dragons are long lizards with reptilian tails and toothy tapering snouts. They have brownish or grayish skins covered with small scales. Though their legs are widely spaced, they are good runners and can reach speeds of 10 miles per hour in short spurts. Each foot has five toes, and at the end of each toe is a powerful claw. With their speed, powerful jaws, claws and large size they are well protected, although they still have enemies such as the crocodile.
The dragon lizard feeds on meat. The type of meat usually depends on his size. When fully grown he catches wild hogs and sometimes small deer. Usually the cunning creature sneaks up on his prey and attacks with a sudden dash. Often he uses his mighty tail to stun his victim. The food is gulped down unchewed in huge bites. He tries to finish in a hurry, before his hungry relatives arrive to grab their share of the feast.
The younger dragons make do with small rodents and eggs, especially crocodile eggs. This may explain why the crocodile mother regards the neighboring Komodo dragons as her mortal enemies.
Scientists set out in 1926 to study the giant monitors and had a hard time finding them. They seemed rather shy. Finally, the bodies of several pigs were set out as bait. The dragons arrived and proved that they could gulp down a whole pig in two bites.