Komodos breathe fire?

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Komodo dragons are real dragons. They are similar to monitors, but they have a few differences. As food is broken down in their stomach, the methane that is produced is carried to special glands in the throat. These glands then can be emptied through tubes under the dragons tongue. The dragon’s methane is different from the methane released by other animals. Certain properties cause it to ignite when it comes in contact with oxygen. Large male komodo dragons in the wild can release up to three burst that last 3 to 5 seconds. The glands are removed in zoo animals due to the danger of fire breathing.

One Komodo in a London zoo was overlooked in 1963 and did not have the methane glands removed. It killed another Komodo dragon male that was after one of the females. A zoo keeper suffered third degree burns during the capture of the large dragon. Sadly the dragon was put down before the methanectomy could be performed.

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This sounds pretty off the wall. Found it on another forum.

Is this rediculous or real?

Wow, you think they would mention that in the Documentaries I've seen on them...? :confused: Huh. Now I'm curious..... :evileye:

I think this is a hoax even though it was so well typed up.

Not sure if I'm allowed to post this link but someone will delete it if not.

Here is where i seen it.

http://repticzone.com/forums/KomodoD...s/1277619.html

it'd be pretty sweet if they did, someone had way too much time on their hands, and has watched a few too many movies.

I'm pretty sure that this is definately not the truth, but I do know that their saliva has something in it that makes it dangerous.

hahhahahahahahahha, yeah. i saw a unicorn once too. it had a horn and everything.

:cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r: me too.

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Originally Posted by Shaun J

I'm pretty sure that this is definately not the truth, but I do know that their saliva has something in it that makes it dangerous.

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yeah, because they're considered to be venomous

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Originally Posted by qiksilver

yeah, because they're considered to be venomous

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They carry over tons of different bacteria something like 40 or so all harvested in thier saliva.

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Originally Posted by chris B

They carry over tons of different bacteria something like 40 or so all harvested in thier saliva.

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so what? everything has bacteria in it's mouth... especially scavengers.





Early evolution of the venom system in lizards and snakes

Fiction can be fun!

http://home.online.no/%7Esanjen/arti..._ballerina.jpg

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methanectomy

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:8: :laughing: :8:

not to mention there is no special form of methane that would ignite with oxygen...

and i was reading recently about the bacteria in the mouth. it was long thought that they were venomous because people getting bitten got bad infections. but recent studies show they produce a weak toxin, along with the 28 gram-negative and the 29 gram positive strains of bacteria. they need this because they eat a lot of raw and spoiled meat in the wild.

....they have deadly venom and breath fire...ha ha....but they forgot that they sprout wings during the full moon....

I love my little venomous, fire breathing flyers :D
http://danielhillreptiles.com/New%20...rri/dragon.JPG

...just goes to show you all the misinformation out there concerning monitor lizards...

I believe that was written up tongue in cheek - or at least that's how I read it, when I read the link. I don't believe it was meant to be taken seriously.

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Originally Posted by qiksilver

so what? everything has bacteria in it's mouth... especially scavengers.





Early evolution of the venom system in lizards and snakes

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Bacteria from a wound thats not takin care of can be deadly, hence why alot of people thought they where venomus animals. Although they do carry a minor toxin, it's belived that the untreated bacteria is what kills most.

Yeah I saw that show in discovery channel, Wasnt it called if dragons were real? heh heh, Fiction can be fun heh heh I loved that... Looohsuuurrr....Ooo'Reailly, I am heins gifelvin trainer of dolphins!!!

But it's because of the large amount of bacteria in their mouths that causes some pretty nasty infections almost immediately, which is what brings their prey down (when they're not scavenging (SP?)).

Here's some info from Komodo National Park

"Komodo dragons are first and foremost opportunistic carnivores, and predators second. Although the Komodo can sprint briefly at 20 kilometers an hour, it does not chase down game as do the larger mammalian predators. The Komodo is a stealth predator, which lies motionless and camoflouged alongside game trails for the unwary, which tend to be the very young, the old and the infirm. In an attack, the Komodo lunges at its victim with blinding speed and clasps it with the serrated teeth of the jaw. Prey are rarely downed in the initial attack unless the neck is broken or caratoid artery severed. The more likely outcome is escape, followed by death a few hours or days later from septicemia introduced by the virulent strains of bacteria found in the saliva of the Komodo dragon (the Komodo survive primarily on carrion and ingest the bacteria when feeding)."

and the link to find more info

http://www.komodo-gateway.org/facts.html

That can smell carrion at great distances as well I saw that show it was pretty awesome, seeing how big those guy can get is scary. I sure wouldnt want to meet a hungry one.

I once did an extensive research report on komodo dragons. They do not breathe fire, but like someone else mentioned, the amount of bacteria present in their saliva makes it toxic to their prey.

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Originally Posted by qiksilver

yeah, because they're considered to be venomous

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THey have bacteria in there saliva and can give very severe infections.

No! That's the dumbest myth I've ever heard since the "toads give you warts" myth! Who would possibly be gullible enough to believe that?

Someone was reading 'Flight of Dragons' and thought it would be a funny joke.

'Flight of Dragons' was written during the ww2 era (forgot exact date). It about the theory that dragons could've existed, and various biological reasonings for how they could've breathed fire and flew. Of course the book version made a heck of a lot more sense :D

[QUOTE=qiksilver;591876]so what? everything has bacteria in it's mouth... especially scavengers.

Komodos have the worst saliva of any animal on this planet, it does not kill any of the bacteria from the prey they eat and the flesh sits in the teeth and rots. The one thing that is said to be a sure death is a bite from a komodo. The bacteria is worse than any venom any snake can inject you with. A snake bite can be treated with antivenom and give you a chance to live but a bite from a komodo infects your blood so quickly if not treated IMMEDIATELY you WILL die from blood poisoning.

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Originally Posted by NateDogg13

a bite from a komodo infects your blood so quickly if not treated IMMEDIATELY you WILL die from blood poisoning.

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Yet there has only been one reported human fatality due to a komodo dragon bite in the last 33 years......go figure.

Well it's just that they have very high concentrations of bacteria that would otherwise be harmless...until a 150lb lizard bites you. A wound full of these bacteria, left untreated, will cause sepsis and death within a few days. There is also some evidence that they produce weak venom, however that seems uncertain.

And of course they don't breathe fire. Would be really awesome if they did though, and I doubt that a zoo would miss out on having such a show. Just think of how many people would want to go see a fire breathing lizard!

For those that interested, here is a link to the study about venom in lizard species.

http://www.venomdoc.com/downloads/20...mate_venom.pdf


One of the authors (B.G.F.) has also acted as consultant on three varanid bites by captive bred specimens (Varanus komodoensis (Komodo Dragon), V. scalaris (Spotted Tree
Monitor) and V. varius (Lace Monitor)), each of which resulted in
rapid swelling (noticeable within minutes), dizziness, localized disruption of blood clotting and shooting pain extending from the
affected digit up to the elbow, with some symptoms lasting for several hours. The rapidity and pathology are consistent with bioactive secretions rather than bacterial infection. In addition, varanid venom also has been shown to have the ability to rapidly paralyse small animals such as birds25.