Q 01/05

Which broadcaster first showed British viewers a Komodo dragon, in the early BBC series Zoo Quest for a Dragon?

A) Gerald Durrell

B) Peter Scott

C) David Attenborough

D) Desmond Morris

Answer · why

C) David Attenborough

David Attenborough's dragon footage went out in black and white, yet it had been shot on colour film, which lay forgotten in the BBC's vaults until 20...

Q 02/05

Komodo dragons are native to islands in which country?

A) Philippines

B) Indonesia

C) Papua New Guinea

D) Malaysia

Answer · why

B) Indonesia

Indonesia: though it is the biggest lizard on Earth, the dragon went unnoticed by Western science until the twentieth century.

Q 03/05

The Komodo dragon belongs to which lizard family?

A) Varanidae (monitor lizards)

B) Iguanidae (iguanas)

C) Helodermatidae (beaded lizards)

D) Agamidae (agamas)

Answer · why

A) Varanidae (monitor lizards)

Monitors are the family that also includes Australia's perentie and lace monitor and Africa's Nile monitor.

Q 04/05

A fully grown Komodo dragon reaches roughly what length?

A) 30 cm (1 ft)

B) 1 m (3 ft)

C) 3 m (10 ft)

D) 9 m (30 ft)

Answer · why

C) 3 m (10 ft)

3 m (10 ft): at that size an adult has nothing to fear on its islands, where it sits at the top of the food chain with no predator of its own.

Q 05/05

What is the main prey of adult Komodo dragons in the wild?

A) Green sea turtles and their eggs

B) Javan rusa deer and feral pigs

C) Fruit bats and long-tailed macaques

D) Reef fish and mangrove crabs

Answer · why

B) Javan rusa deer and feral pigs

Javan rusa deer and feral pigs top the menu: a dragon lies in wait beside a game trail, then lunges at whatever walks past.