Re: Warm-Blooded debate

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

Sam j hogan wrote:
> the chosen prey item isn't killed immediately, they have been known to
> track the bleeding wounds for long  (I can't remember how long)
> distances, as well.  They are also not adverse to eating carrion.

Apparently Komodo dragon mouths are virtual cesspools teaming with
all sorts of bacteria (as with many monitors). It often takes just
a single messy bite wound to bring the prey down a few days later
with massive infections. This has also been known to happen to human
victims, where dragons have wandered into villages and attacked
children, who subsequently died from the the bite becoming baddly
infected. Being ectothermic the dragons can afford to take their
time tracking prey for days until it succumbs to the wounds. The meal
promises far more in the way of energy than slow steady tracking
would require (provided it doesn't have to be shared to much, other
dragons no doubt pick up the trail too). Those forked tongues are
especially handy as scent detectors for tracking the dying prey.
With this method of predation a quick burst of activity
followed by slow but steady tracking more than sufficiently makes up
for a lack of endothermy, provided there are few if any warm-bloods
zipping around to steal the carcass.
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        Dann Pigdon
        Melbourne, Australia
        http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/4459/

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