Komodo Dragons ARE NOT DRAGONS- Get it right!!!

I don't know how many times I have heard people say, "The only dragon in the world is the Komodo Dragon." Or, ":heyragons exist: Komodo Dragon is proof". It ticks me off. There is a difference between dragons and the Komodo other then the fact that they are reptiles.

Duh.

Komodo Dragons are called that because there large size of a lizard and they live on the island of Komodo in Indonesia. Seriously, just because it has dragon in it does not mean it IS one.

Der, duh dragonfly is a dragon 'cuz it got duh wurd dragon in it. Der!

Stupid comments...

Sorry i had to chuckle at this, are there really people who think Komodo's are real dragons?

I think they are fascinating and dare i say it, beautiful creatures. Unfortunately with thier saliva like it is, the most deadly thing they are going to breathe on you is thier breath...not fire!

CX.

Thanks for setting us straight on this. This conundrum has had the cyptozoological community stumped for generations. How fortunate for us to have a genuine dragonologist on board.

They're actually monitor lizards - just big, scary and very fast ones.

Surely no-one is stupid enough to think they're actually dragons!

Then again some people obviously believe people are that stupid

A food company has been warned it could face legal action over the name of its Welsh Dragon Sausages.

Trading standards said Black Mountains Smokery in Powys must also include the type of meat used in the sausages - pork - to meet labelling regulations.
*SNIP*
Jon Carthew said: "I don't think any of our customers actually believe that we use dragon meat in our sausages.

news.bbc.co.uk...

If ya like kamodo dragons then look into the cryptid of the Giant Goana. Goana's are monitor lizards found in austrailia. They had a thought to be extinct relative called the giant goana-about 15-20 feet long and just as mean as a komodo dragon.

Anyways, aborigionies and bush guys have been saying for a while that they will occasionally see a giant goana about 15 to 20 feet long lurking in the bush, but that they aren't about to get anywhere close to em.

I even think there is a report of a skelleton that was found of a giant goana that was only 500 years old, pointing to it being not extinct. Sounds plausible and a real possibility.

Komodo's are alos called dragons because if they bite you the resulting storm of bacteria into the wound causes a fiery sensation.


OMFGROFLPMSLBTWWTFWTH DATS OBVEEUSSLY MOR PRUF DEY IS DRAG0NS!!!11111

Your right they arn't dragons but they are dang cool creatures. I wish I could own a couple. I saw a baby one in the Denver Zoo they were letting people touch it untill a lot of people started geting salmonila from it. It was pretty neet to see though. I don't blame people for thinking that it could be a dragon, I mean they can stand up on their hind leggs and when they fight annother one they just pin them and draw their claws down the other ones belly. Pretty civil for something that has a brain the size of someones fist.

Well my iguana might not have wings, but she sure does resemble a cute miniature dragon. Sometimes I even refer to her as my 'baby dragon'

Dragonflies aren't dragons either. They're insects.

I have nothing else to add to this thread that other people have already said.

Except prehaps for this:
Koala 'Bears' are not bears!

As much as I would like to say there is an argument that the Komodo Dragon is in a class by itself called draconis it seems my efforts have been in vain.

Komodo Island Monitor
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Family: Varanidae Genus: Varanus Species: Varanus komodoensis

Komodo Facts

I've actually stayed on Komodo and they are awesome things in the wild.

At night when you have to move from your hut to the canteen hut and you can hear them crashing through the jungle it certainly makes you respect them - and they're very, very quick - they catch live deer! Contrary to some of those sites they certainly do enter the camp!

We tried baiting wild boar with bananas to see if we could get a KD to come and make a kill (hey we were bored!) luckily for the boar it didn't work

One thing though - they're certainly larger than 2 metres in the wild - there was one - 'the king' - that sat around in the camp and it was easily 12 feet long.

One thing they helpfully don't tell you until you get there - if girls are menstruating they need to be extra extra careful - KD's have an accute sense of smell and are attracted to such girls from miles away. Also wearing red is not recommended as they are programmed to react to the colour.

Strangerous,
Some good informations thanks a bunch!
I have not been forchant enuff to be on Komodo but did see the one they have at Disney Fla.
Was not all the impressive but am sure he would be if he were moveing any

Yeah the few I've seen in zoos have always been smaller and lazier than the ones on the island. The wild ones are bigger and much faster.

Somewhere I've got some print film I took of one on the beach - there's one shot where I'd got 1/2 a foot too close (about 25 feet away) and it was eyeing me up / calculating its chances. They only chase 3/4 things a day so only go for it when they have a good chance of success. Luckliy it didn't run at me as they are very quick and probably quicker than a human on many surfaces - including soft sand.

There were many warning signs which we ignored; only going for 'a look at them' and I got closer than I'd intended - danger of just looking through the viewfinder

It was stupid thing to do but after a day or two you get a bit complacent.

There's a real issue on Komodo with poaching - crews come in at night (!) and capture them for private collectors. I hope it's well-paid work as at night they definitely have the advantage.

I'm not saying I think that dragons are real, but just in general...

What classifies a "dragon"? Wouldn't a dragon, if it actually existed, just be a very large reptile by definition? Weren't dinosaurs essentially just reptiles? Aren't crocodiles essentially dinosaurs?

If an undiscovered species of Komodo dragon was discovered that was typically 50 feet long instead of 5, are you saying it wouldn't be a dragon? Would it have to both fly and breathe fire before you would feel comfortable calling it a dragon?

So basically.. I don't think there is such thing as medieval or chinese type "dragons", but don't be insulting people for calling a komodo dragon a dragon, when there is no scientifically accepted criteria that a creature must meet to be classified as a dragon.

[edit on 28-11-2006 by Yarcofin]

That doesn't make them dragons though, just because they are reptiles, either. According to scientists, they did a DNA test on a dragon skeleton, and compared them. They had a link just because they are reptiles. The Komodo had no dragon DNA.

Of course the komodo dragon has dragon DNA!! Otherwise it wouldnt' be called the komodo dragon!!!11!!one!!

They got DNA from a dragon skeleton??? Where!?!?



No seriously. You can't make a claim like that without showing some support for it. Where did they get a dragon skeleton? Can you show me a reliable, factual link?

Originally posted by TheBandit795
They got DNA from a dragon skeleton??? Where!?!?

No seriously. You can't make a claim like that without showing some support for it. Where did they get a dragon skeleton? Can you show me a reliable, factual link?

Seconded.

Oh, and bearded dragons aren't dragons either. Just to clarify. (But they're darn cute!)

I think Dragon boy is Ashton Kutcher... And you guys just got PUNKED!!!!

No seriously OK stoppppp