VIDEO: World’s Largest Lizard

Lizards are basically the dinosaurs of modern era.

They are also the closest thing we have to dragons.

Now, you’re probably thinking of a tiny, kind of cute, innocent creature that crawls on rocks.

Well, it’s time for you to meet the Komodo Dragon!

According to Live Science, Komodo dragons are the largest living lizards in the world. They are identified by their massive size, flat heads, bowed legs and long, thick tails.

The name comes from rumors that a dragon-like creature lived on the Indonesian island of Komodo. No Western scientists had seen a Komodo dragon until 1912, according to the San Diego Zoo. Local people call them “ora,” or “land crocodile.”

The average size of a male Komodo dragon is 8 to 9 feet and about 200 lbs., according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, but they can reach a whopping 10 feet (3 meters) in length. Females grow to 6 feet (1.8 m).

Komodos come in a variety of colors, including blue, orange, green and gray. Their skin is rough and durable, reinforced with bony plates called osteoderms. They have long claws and a large, muscular tail.

Komodos have good vision; they can see objects as far away as 985 feet (300 m), according to the Smithsonian Zoo. They are also speedy. They can run briefly up to 13 mph (20 kph) but prefer to hunt by stealth — waiting for hours until prey cross their path.

Their sense of smell is their primary food detector, however. According to the Smithsonian Zoo, Komodo dragons, like snakes, use their forked tongues to sample the air, and then touch the tongue to the roof of their mouth, where special organs analyze the airborne molecules. If the left tongue tip has more concentrated “smell,” the dragon knows that their prey is approaching from the left.

Komodo dragons are carnivores, meaning they eat meat. They are such fierce hunters they can eat very large prey, such as large water buffalo, deer, carrion, pigs and even humans. They will also eat smaller dragons. They can eat 80 percent of their body weight in one feeding, according to the National Geographic.

The Komodo has a unique way of killing its prey. First, it springs up and knocks the prey over with its huge feet. Then they use their sharp, serrated teeth — which are a lot like a shark’s — to shred their prey to death.

If the prey escapes, it will die within 24 hours of blood poisoning because the Komodo’s saliva contains 50 strains of bacteria, according to National Geographic. With its fantastic sense of smell, the Komodo will find the dead animal and finish its meal.

According to the San Diego Zoo, while recent research suggests that Komodo dragons are venomous due to their saliva, more studies are needed before making such a conclusion.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, the Komodo dragon is not endangered, but it is considered vulnerable.

The World Animal Foundation estimates the number of Komodos in the wild to be 6,000. This population is split among the islands, with 1,700 on Komodo, 1,300 on Rinca, 100 on Gili Motang and around 2,000 on Flores. They are protected within the Komodo National Park.