Komodo Dragon

Hi there! My name is Ora, and I'm a Komodo dragon. I bet you've heard stories about dragons, but I'm not the kind that breathes fire. I am something even more special. I'm the biggest lizard in the whole world! I live on a few beautiful, sunny islands in a country called Indonesia. My home is warm and rocky. When I first hatched from my egg, I was very small. To stay safe from bigger animals, I would climb high up into the trees. Now that I am grown, I am big and strong. My favorite thing to do is stretch out on the rocky hillsides and let the sun warm me up.

My skin is amazing. It's covered in tough scales that act like my very own suit of armor, keeping me safe. I also have a special tool I use all the time. Do you see my long, yellow tongue? I flick it in and out, in and out, to taste the air. This is how I smell things around me. My tongue tells me if a tasty deer or a wild pig is nearby. When I hunt for my food, I have a secret weapon. My drool isn't just regular drool. it has something called venom in it that helps me catch my meal easily. I am a very patient hunter. I can wait for a long, long time for the perfect moment to find my lunch. I don’t have to eat every day like you do. One big meal can last me for a whole month!

My island home is a very important place, and people decided to help protect it. In the year 1980, they created a giant park for us called Komodo National Park. This park keeps my home safe for me and all the other animals that live here. As the biggest predator on my island, I have a very important job. I help keep the number of other animals in balance, which helps our whole island ecosystem stay healthy and strong. I am proud to be the king of my island. By protecting my home, people help dragons like me roam these ancient lands for many more years to come.