Behavior of Varanus Komodoensis 
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behavioral patterns that place the Komodo 
monitor in a unique niche among lizards — 
that is, the ability for large mature individ- 
uals to successfully attack prey animals up to 
20 times the lizard’s own mass. 
In order to observe and document stalking 
and killing techniques, several live, tethered 
goats were offered as prey near a hanging 
decomposed bait (to attract monitors into the 
immediate area as an economy of time). Ab- 
breviated notes of March 14, 1970 (excerpted 
from Auffenberg, MS) illustrate the behav- 
ioral sequences involved. The attacking moni- 
tor (number 19W) was 2.5 m total length 
and weighed 42 kg. A live goat of 25 kg was 
tethered to a ground anchor with a 10 m 
lead. A decaying 21 kg goat was pulled 5 m 
into a nearby tree. The major steps in the 
attack sequence are illustrated in Fig. 11. 
9:10 A.M. 19W approached bait area from 
downwind. It had seen the 
grazing goat almost immedi- 
ately after stepping out of the 
thicket. It was then 15 m from 
the live goat with its head held 
so it could peer over the grass, 
watching the goat alternately 
out of one eye and then the 
other. 
9:21 19W moved forward 1.2 m, 
stopped and continued to watch 
the goat. The latter now saw 
the lizard for the first time and 
would have bolted off had it not 
been tethered. 
9:2Ji. 19W moved forward 0.5 m and 
stopped. 
9:25 19W moved forward 0.5 m and 
stopped. 
9:27 Moved up to 3 m from goat, 
flicking out tongue occasion- 
ally. The head was now held 
low and the neck slightly bowed 
to the side. The neck was then 
slowly moved into a horizontal 
S-shape, with head held a little 
to one side. 
9:27:U 19W lunged at goat, catching 
the thigh with several teeth of 
9:27:SU 
9:27:39 
9:28:00 
9:28:45 
9:29:45 
9:30:00 
9:30:10 
9:30:20 
9:30:30 
9:38:00 
the lower jaw, producing a 
bleeding wound about 1 cm 
deep and 10 cm long. 
19W approached goat to within 
1.2 m, bowed neck and lunged 
but missed. 
Spun around and again stepped 
to within 1.2 m of goat. Bowing 
its neck into an S-shape, and 
with its head slightly to one 
side, it stared at goat, which 
was now facing monitor. 
Lunged when goat turned to 
side, grasping it over the ilial 
projections of the hip with the 
upper part of goat held down 
against ground, while goat 
struggled to get to its feet. 
Released goat, but immediately 
bit it again in lumbar region. 
The monitor is now better able 
to hold the struggling animal 
against the ground with its 
neck arched vertically. 
Goat tried to struggle to its 
feet and was almost successful, 
but lizard quickly released 
goat, grabbing left front leg 
and jerking prey back to the 
ground. 
19W changed hold to back of 
neck, but goat then tried to 
raise on to hindlegs. 
19 W changed hold to lumbar 
region again and jerked goat 
posteriorly to throw it back to 
the ground. Goat stopped strug- 
gling; apparently in shock. 
Goat bleating feebly ; no move- 
ment other than sporadic 
breathing. 
Released goat and flicked it 
with tongue. Bit out section of 
abdominal wall and then pulled 
out most of intestines, shaking 
out their contents and swallow- 
them. Goat dies from massive 
abdominal hemorrhage. 
19W bit into goat’s back, then 
easily lifting and carrying it to 
