Video Shows How A Giant Komodo Dragon Devours A Dead Monkey In A Few Gulps
As the most dangerous reptile on Earth, many people are naturally scared of Komodo dragons. They have shark-like teeth and a strong venom that has, if not immediately treated, the potential to kill anyone within hours of a bite.
And now that a viral video has re-emerged where a giant Komodo dragon can be seen swallowing an entire dead monkey, the internet is both scared and amused.
According to an article by The Daily Mail, the incident took place in Indonesia where the camera caught the 10-foot long reptile devouring a dead monkey whole — in just six gulps. The video did not capture when the Komodo dragon started eating the primate, but by the time the camera focused on it, half of the monkey was already in its mouth.
Since the video started abruptly, it could not be ascertained whether the reptile killed the monkey itself before devouring it, or if the monkey was already dead because of some other reason.
Per the piece, the video shows the poor creature’s legs and tails hanging out of the dragon’s mouth, which too disappear after six powerful gulps. The article also mentioned how the dangerous reptiles have the power to kill and swallow animals 80 percent of their own size.
https://twitter.com/natureismetaI/status/1154816105841479680
The video first went viral on YouTube two years ago, but didn’t catch the media’s attention until recently when the footage resurfaced on Twitter. As a result, many mainstream American and British media outlets picked the story. Apart from The Daily Mail, the news was also carried this weekend by Fox News, The Sun, The New York Post, and The Mirror.
According to an article by National Geographic, Komodo dragons are native to Indonesia and can live up to 30 years. The reptiles can grow up 10 feet in length and may weigh more than 300 pounds, which makes them the heaviest lizards on the planet.
Per the piece, the dragons are dominant predators and can eat almost anything, including carrion, pigs, deer, water buffaloes, monkeys, and even smaller dragons. They are also notorious for being able to attack and eat humans. Although the dragons are dangerous, a dearth of egg-laying females, natural disasters, poaching, and human encroachment have threatened their population.
Indonesia is closing Komodo Island for all of 2020 to protect its Komodo dragons.
There are only 1,700 of the rare lizards on the island. Last year, there were over 176,000 visitors who visited the area. pic.twitter.com/CpsWaeScan
— AJ+ (@ajplus) July 24, 2019
In fact, a latest news report by Reuters revealed that in order to save the magnificent creatures from extinction, the government of Indonesia will close its eastern island of Komodo to the public next year. The decision to close the island to tourists was taken with the aim of averting human interference, together with reducing the risk of poaching.
