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 The Island
Komodo located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago not far away from
Bali thanks to miracle habitants known as Komodo Dragons, is affected by
numerous legends and stories for a couple of decades already. And even the story of discovering giant
lizards from an article to article appeared to be a fake. The Luxemag executed
its own investigation of Komodo secrets.
The pioneer
who is not a discoverer
They very
often say that the Komodo Dragons were opened by the Dutch military pilot Van
Bosse. While this story about the pioneer always involves fascinating details: air
crush in jungles, a vis-à-vis meeting with the giant predator, and a wonderful
rescue, and a risky expedition that dispelled the doubts of real skeptics who
believed the tale by Van Bosse as a hunting story. So, it was like an adventure
book. The only thing that there was no Van Bosse in Komodo ...
So, what
really happened there? The «big kind of monitor lizard from the Komodo island»
was mentioned first in 1912 in the same article by the Major Owens, the curator
of the zoological museum on the Java island.
The scientist told also the history of discovery of lizards who will
agitate the world in the soonest time. It turned out, that he was informed on
them by the ruler of one of the neighboring islands, the Lieutenant of the
Dutch Army Van Stein Van Hensbrok who learned about lizards from aborigines. He
decided to equip the expedition to the desert island to that time. The interest of the military man was provoked
by assurance of the local pearl divers as if they themselves caught a couple of
lizards of six meter length. The hunting by the very Van Hensbrok appeared to
be less successful since the lizard was only two and a half meters length. The
hunters equipped for help to Owens succeeded more in hunting: their lizard was
almost three meters in length.
It seems
that no very successful hunting and general feeble nature of the story made
someone add more «spicy» moments and details. Moreover, the respectable
military officer Van Hensbrock did not fit the role of a Hero, so he was
successfully turned into the pilot with some features of the superman.
Lizards-dinosaurs
today
In
vindication of Van Hensbrock I should say that six meter lizards were likely
the result of stormy fantasy of pearl divers. Moreover, almost a hundred years
passed from the date of discovering dinosaurs but no professional biologists
have ever seen an offspring of ancient dinosaurs of over three meters long.
Thus, the first hunters were lucky: usually the length of the lizard was hardly
more than two meters in length. However, even such «babies» are able to cause
big problems to their island neighbors.
And we
really mean it since has appeared later, Komodo dragons reside the neighboring
Rinca and Flores, leaving aside numerous nameless islands. Giant reptiles are
good swimmers so it is very easy for them to travel from one island to another
and drag away off the close village a dog or a goat.
This is
curious fact but lizards are not capable in acceleration, they can speed up
only to thirty kilometers per hour. Their principal weapon is patience and
ruse. Lizards can hide in the long grass for hours waiting for the victim that
is careless enough to drop behind the flock or just loses control. Sometimes
lizards do not need to use such tricks since some deer and hogs get close
enough to the predator
But the
main secret is in the mouth of the lizard, as it should be with dragons. But
they are not able to spew fire and their weapon is their teeth. Though the
point is not only in their sharp teeth but sixty kinds of pathogenic bacteria
living in the mouth of the lizard. So, even if the animal bitten by the lizard
does not die at once, it will live no longer than a few days. But the instinct
of lizards is perfect, they can feel the death of victims at a distance of
dozens of kilometers and come back to wait and have a meal finally.
The
scientists suppose that the life style of Komodo residents reminds the one led
by carnivorous dinosaurs many millions years ago. So, just buy a ticket to
Komodo and welcome here to have a look at the life of dinosaurs by yourselves.
«Conception»
A giant
lizard is the dangerous predator but it is not the opponent to the human being.
Therefore, with the purpose to protect lizards from too importunate interest of
people, a National Park was opened in Komodo in 1980. It is necessary to
protect these unique animals because the scientists find
more and more startling features in them.
Recently
the British investigators found out that female giant lizards can do without
their male lizards. Those lived in the Flora and Sungai Zoo of England never
contacting the opposite sex, oviposited themselves. Reproduction without male
functions is called parthenogenesis from the scientific point of view and is
rare to happen amid the vertebral animals.
The females
managed to do without their males due to changeable weather. Walking along on
the small island the female lizard do not sometimes notice as the storm starts
and it gets no possible to go to the «big land» for many weeks. And the
loneliness though it is sad should not become a barrier for reproduction
functions.
Gift from
Sharon Stone
Flores and
Sungay are not only lizards living in captivity. The guest from Komodo is the
pearl of many World Zoos. As for reptiles, they get quite on well with observant.
They recognize guardians and they even let the beloved ones to touch and stroke
them for a while. So, if you are not the favorite with the lizard, you need to
get introduced to them exactly at Komodo. And ex-husband of Sharon Stone Fil
Bronstein had an opportunity to check it in practice.
Bronstein dreamed
about «talking» to a real dragon. And at his birthday the Hollywood star
prepared a wonderful present to him arranging an excursion with the reptile. In
general, even the presence of the observant did not help Bronstein, the lizard
attacked him and the latter hardly ever managed to get out of the cave.
So, if you
are interested to see how offspring of dinosaurs live you should immediately go
to the Komodo. The gossips that a giant lizard may swallow a human being alive
are strongly exaggerated. Besides, the watchful huntsmen working at the
National Park will not leave you alone
and moreover, they will tell you many curious things on the lives of the
charged animals.
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