1. THE KOMODO DRAGON An Endangered Species By Addison Bettis

2. The Komodo Dragon  Scientific Name: Varanus komodoensis  Higher classification: Monitor lizard  Rank: Species  Carnivore

3. Size  The average Komodo Dragon can measure around 8 to 10 feet.  The average weight of a Komodo Dragon is 330 pounds.

4. Source of food  Because they are carnivore, they will pretty much eat anything when it comes to deer, pigs, each other and occasionally humans.  They can used their long tongue to sense their prey in their radius  They are not poisonous, but their saliva has so much bacteria in it, that it can cause great sickness or death.

5. Compared to a Human

6. Normal Habitat  The Komodo Dragon is usually found in very tropic western areas that include the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Flores, Padar and some of the Lesser Sunda islands (part of the Malay Archipelago).

8. Reason for Extinction  Even though they are very feared reptiles, they are very near extinction because…  They have been hunted legally and illegally over the period of time  Volcanic activity, earthquakes, loss of habitat, fire, loss of prey due to poaching, tourism and illegal poaching of the dragons has also contributed to the animal’s danger.

9. Helping the population  To prevent the animal from being hunted, Indonesia, Komodo National Park has helped protect the dragons. There are approximately 4,000 to 5,000 living Komodo dragons in the wild, but conservationists are concerned that there may be only 350 breeding females.

10. Kissy Kissy

11. Video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GljZY 7pellI

12. Cites  http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/a nimals/reptiles/komodo-dragon/ http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/a nimals/reptiles/komodo-dragon/  http://www.livescience.com/27402- komodo-dragons.html http://www.livescience.com/27402- komodo-dragons.html