Living "Dinosaur"

Before going into the dinosaur exhibit at the Jacksonville zoo, we spent a bit of time watching in wonder at the Komodo dragon pen.

It has not been all that many years since it was discovered that not only does this animal attack with its sharp teeth and claws, but that it has ducts between its teeth that contain highly toxic venom that severely weakens its victim until the lizard can leisurely catch up to finish it off and consume it. It was previously thought that it was all the bacteria that can be found in its mouth that was the source of the blood poisoning.

They can grow to ten feet long and weigh 300 pounds. Until World War I, most of the world had considered its existence to be a myth.