Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis): Facts & Species Wiki

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Armored Island Giant

The Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest living lizard on Earth. Adults grow 6 to 10 feet long and weigh 154 to 300 pounds, and the heaviest one verified weighed 366 pounds. Its skin is reinforced with bony plates called osteoderms, often compared to chain mail, which protect it from scratches and bites. It is built like an armored medieval tank.

Iron on the edges A 2024 study found that Komodo dragon teeth carry a microscopic iron-rich coating along their serrations and tips, which may help the cutting edges resist wear between tooth replacements.

Venom That Prevents Blood Clotting

Contrary to the popular idea that Komodo dragons rely on dirty mouth bacteria, they have many-lobed venom glands in their lower jaw. The venom carries toxic proteins that stop blood from clotting and cause a drop in blood pressure, which can send the victim into collapse and shock.

Published August 30, 2026Updated September 12, 2026

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Reptile Savanna Apex Predator Venomous Armored

Intel
& FAQ

01Are Komodo dragons venomous, or do they kill with mouth bacteria?

They are genuinely venomous. Until recently, it was believed that a Komodo dragon's bite killed through infection, and possibly sepsis (blood poisoning), caused by bacteria living in its mouth. A 2009 study by Bryan Fry and colleagues rejected that idea. It showed that venom makes the dragon's deep bite wounds worse, with toxic effects that include anticoagulation (stopping blood from clotting) and shock. The venom also causes a drop in blood pressure, which can cause collapse, and its AVIT toxins immobilize the victim with painful cramps.

Source: Fry et al. 2009

02How do Komodo dragons bring down animals as large as water buffalo?

Komodo dragons have about 60 serrated teeth that look like shark teeth, but a bite that is surprisingly low in force for their size. Their lightweight skull is better built to resist hard pulling than to bite hard. When feeding, they jerk the head and neck backward, straighten their forelimbs or back-pedal, and a study of captive dragons found their pull was much stronger than their bite. The slashing bite causes major blood loss, venom that works as an anticoagulant makes the bleeding heavier, and that strong pull may be critical to bringing down prey larger than themselves.

Source: D'Amore et al. 2011

03How fast can a Komodo dragon run?

A Komodo dragon can briefly run at speeds of up to 20 kilometers per hour (13 miles per hour), but its hunting strategy is based on stealth and power. It can spend hours in one spot along a game trail, waiting for a deer or other sizable prey to cross its path before it attacks.

Source: Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

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How big is a Komodo Dragon, really? Slide, lock in, and see what the sources say. Every answer is a figure from this page, quoted from where it came from.

Weight: How heavy is an adult??
The sources say 69.9 to 136 kg.
Source ↓
Length: How long is an adult, head to tail??
The sources say 1.83 to 3.05 m.
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