Komodo Dragon

Varanus komodoensis

The world's largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon is a formidable ambush predator whose lifecycle includes an extraordinary reproductive trick: females can produce offspring without any male involvement through parthenogenesis.

Lifecycle stages

Stage 1

Egg

Females lay 15–30 eggs in abandoned megapode nests or self-dug burrows. Eggs incubate in warm soil for 7–8 months.

~8 months

Stage 2

Hatchling

Hatchlings immediately climb trees to escape cannibalistic adults. They roll in faeces to mask their scent from larger dragons.

First year

Stage 3

Juvenile

Tree-dwelling juveniles feed on insects, geckos, and small mammals, descending to the ground only when large enough to defend themselves.

1–5 years

Stage 4

Sub-adult

Increasing size grants access to larger prey. Territorial behaviour intensifies, with wrestling matches deciding dominance hierarchies.

5–8 years

Stage 5

Adult

Adults reach 3 metres and 70 kg. They hunt deer and pigs using ambush tactics, delivering a venomous bite that prevents blood clotting.

Up to 30 years

Max length

3 metres

Sexual maturity

~8 years

Clutch size

15–30 eggs

Conservation status — Endangered

Restricted to a handful of Indonesian islands, Komodo dragons face habitat loss from human settlement and tourism pressure. Prey depletion from poaching reduces food availability for adults.