Cyril Ruoso / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) drooling, the lizard's saliva is high in bacteria and bites quickly become infected, Rinca Island, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Cyril Ruoso / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) approaching, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Cyril Ruoso / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) using tongue to smell, Komodo National Park, Indonesia

Chien Lee / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) in grass, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Georgette Douwma / Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) on beach, Rinca, Komodo National Park, Indonesia, October

Tui De Roy / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) large male walking towards camera, Komodo National Park, Komodo Island, Indonesia

Mark Jones / Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) large male testing ground for scent with specialized forked tongue, Komodo National Park, Komodo Island, Indonesia

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon hatching from egg (Varanus komodoensis) Komodo Is Indonesia

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon, 2-day-old (Varanus komodoensis) in Tamarind tree, Komodo Is

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon about to lay eggs in burrow made in megapode mound (Varanus komodoensis) Komodo Is

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragons, 2-day-old (V. komodoensis) Hatchlings climb trees to avoid being eaten by predators.

Michael Pitts / Komodo dragon hatchling emerging from megapode mound (Varanus komodoensis) Komodo Is