The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. It can grow to a maximum length of 3 metres in rare cases and weighing up to around 70 kilograms .
Indonesian Post has issued the nature conservation stamp series features Komodo, on August 18, 2000. This issue collaborated with WWF organization by put the logo of WWF on the each stamp. Also Indonesian Post issued the official FDC of this issue as a local WWF cover. Maximum card depicts Komodo’s life also issued on the same date,
As a result of their size, these lizards dominate the ecosystems in which they live. Komodo dragons hunt and ambush prey including invertebrates, birds, and mammals. Their group behaviour in hunting is exceptional in the reptile world. The diet of big Komodo dragons mainly consists of deer, though they also eat considerable amounts of carrion.
They are capable of running rapidly in brief sprints up to 20 kilometres per hour,diving up to 4.5 metres and climbing trees proficiently when young through use of their strong claws.To catch prey that is out of reach, the Komodo dragon may stand on its hind legs and use its tail as a support. As the Komodo dragon matures, its claws are used primarily as weapons, as its great size makes climbing impractical.
The Komodo dragon does not have an acute sense of hearing, despite its visible earholes, and is only able to hear sounds between 400 - 2000 hertz. Due to its retinas only contain cones, it is able to see till 300 metres and have poor night vision. The Komodo dragon is able to see in colours, but has poor visual discrimination of stationary objects. Komodo dragons avoid encounters with humans. If disturbed, they will react aggressively by gaping their mouth, hissing, and swinging their tail.
Mating occurs between May and August, with the eggs laid in September.During this period, males fight over females and territory by grappling with one another upon their hind legs with the loser eventually being pinned to the ground. These males may vomit or defecate when preparing for the fight.The winner of the fight will then flick his long tongue at the female to gain information about her receptivity.
The Komodo dragon prefers hot and dry places, and typically lives in dry open grassland, savannah, and tropical forest at low elevations. The Komodo dragons are solitary, coming together only to breed and eat.The Komodo dragon is a vulnerable species and is found on the IUCN Red List.There are approximately 4,000 to 5,000 living Komodo dragons in the wild.
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