Komodo dragon. Image: Kotomiti Okuma/Shutterstock
The Indonesian Komodo National Park is the relatively surprising recipient of the latest Google Doodle, marking 37 years since its creation.
If you wanted to visit volcanic islands with white, sandy beaches and an abundance of Komodo dragons pottering about, where would you head?
Indonesia’s Komodo National Park is your best bet, and the location’s 37th anniversary is being celebrated with today’s Google Doodle.
The interactive doodle is actually a quiz, with five true-or-false questions to help us inquisitive folk find out more about the planet’s largest lizards.
Google, to support the Doodle, lauds the park’s landscape, which is “unlike any other, ranging from dry savanna conditions to lush forests, all surrounded by white-sand beaches and bright, blue water.
Komodo dragons have flexible skulls
About 6,000 Komodo dragons live in the boundaries of the Komodo National Park.
There are also dozens of species of bird nesting there, with the marine life circulating the islands including sea turtles, dolphins and whales.
For food, the Komodo dragons live off Timor deer in the main part, consuming half their body weight in just one meal.
“Despite the plethora of native wildlife, Komodo dragons are still what the park is best known for,” said Google. “Thanks to National Parks like Komodo, wildlife can continue to thrive, largely uninterrupted by human interference.”
Like sharks, Komodo dragon teeth are replaceable
Earlier this month, a study into Komodo dragon blood found numerous elements that could result in better antibiotics for humans.
48 never-before-seen antimicrobial peptides were found in the blood, some of which work exceedingly well against pathogenic bacteria.
The study paints a bright future for scientists working to fight against antibiotic-resistant bugs, a major concern for future healthcare.
Certain parental strains of some of the most troubling types of these bugs were successfully beaten by the Komodo blood.
