Komodo dragons were first recorded by Western scientists in 1910.
Their large size and fearsome reputation make them popular zoo exhibits. In the wild their range has contracted due to human activities and they are listed as
vulnerable by the
IUCN . They are protected under Indonesian law, and a
national park,
Komodo National Park, was founded to aid protection efforts.
Evolutionary history
The evolutionary development of the Komodo dragon started with the
Varanus genus, which originated in
Asia about 40 million years ago and migrated to
Australia. Around 15 million years ago, a collision between Australia and Southeast Asia allowed the varanids to move into what is now the Indonesian archipelago, extending their range as far east as the island of
Timor. The Komodo dragon was believed to have differentiated from its Australian ancestors 4 million years ago. However, recent fossil evidence from
Queensland suggests that the Komodo dragon evolved in Australia before spreading to Indonesia.
Dramatic lowering of sea level during the
last glacial period uncovered extensive stretches of continental shelf that the Komodo dragon colonized, becoming isolated in their present island range as sea levels rose afterwards.
No comments:
Post a Comment