Here is a list of 12 cool facts you may not have known about the Komodo dragon!

1. Komodo dragons are the largest lizard known to man. Averaging between a massive 7-10 feet long and 200 pounds, the Komodo dragon is something to be feared.

2. Komodo dragons tend to hunt animals larger than themselves. This reptile is known to kill deer, horses, water buffalo, etc. After killing such animals, it can eat up to 80% of its own equivalent in body weight of the animal slaughtered.

3. Its saliva contains anywhere from 10-50 different types of bacteria. After a Komodo dragon attacks its prey, sometimes the other animal will escape. After being bitten, the saliva in the wound will spread bacteria in the animal’s body, and kill it in the space of a day. The Komodo dragon stalks the animal until it dies and gets its meal in after all.

4. The Komodo dragon can smell extremely well. It is known that after biting an animal, the lizard can pick up the scent of its own saliva from up to 8 miles away. This allows it to track the animal from great distances.

5. There are only five islands in Indonesia known to inhabit the Komodo dragon–the islands of Komodo, Flores, Rintja, Gilli Motang, and Padar. Only around 5 000 are believed to live there.

6. Being able to swim between one island to another in its habitat, the Komodo dragon is an exceptional swimmer.

7. The average life span of this reptile is roughly 30 years. Young ones tend to be at higher risk of being killed because older Komodo dragons tend to eat them.

8. New born Komodo dragons are completely independent as soon as they leave their shells. They tend to stay in trees until they grow larger because of the dangers from larger Komodo Dragons.

9. The skin of a Komodo dragon has small bones called osteoderms in them. The osteoderms create a sort of armor for the reptile.

10. When running at full speed a Komodo dragon can reach up to 20 km/h or 12 mph due to it’s muscular legs.

11. A female Komodo dragon can lay up to 25 eggs at a time during the breeding season in September. After roughly 8 months, the newborns hatch from their eggs.

12. The Komodo dragon has no real predators due to it’s size. Other than humans and cannibalistic adults, Komodo dragons don’t need to worry about being hunted.