New Findings: Komodo Originating in the African Continent

Here's Proof That the Komodo Indonesia Derived From Africa ... !!? - Researchers from the University of Alberta, Canada, trying to find the mysterious relationship between the bones of ancient lizard found in Africa with the largest lizard found in Indonesia today, the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis).

Biologist Alison Murray and Rob Holmes expressed a unique form of vertebrate fossils 33 million years old Africa is associated with dragons are believed to have existed since about 700,000 years ago.



"The fossil was found in the deserts of Africa. This fossil is certainly a lizard with the genus Varanus. There are more than 50 species of the genus Varanus are living today, including the Komodo dragon and other large lizards, "said Holmes.

Holmes said vertebrate fossils found in Africa is a lizard about a half meter long that can swim. These ancient Varanus are found in the area and was previously a small lake or river bottom. This fossil may be a key clue progenitor migration to the other side of the world.

"Are these animals live in water or surrounding land, we do not know. But, we know that some modern species of Varanus comfortable with a swim in clean water, "said Holmes.

"Of the approximately 100 million years ago until 12 million years ago, Africa is isolated, surrounded by the ocean. But, the animals made it out of Africa during this period, "said Murray. However, the researchers agreed not to swim will take lizards of Africa to Indonesia.

Murray said one of an unproven theory about how Varanus out of Africa is that over millions of years there are small or micro-plates mainland inhabited by a variety of fauna, moving from one place to another.

With this small land movements, the possibility of animals living in Africa have migrated to various parts of the world, including Indonesia.

In Indonesia, Komodo can be found on the island of Komodo, Rinca, Flores and Gili Motang. Komodo is one of the protected animals. International Union for Conservation of Nature categorize Komodo as an endangered species.

There are an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 Komodo dragons living in the wild. However, it is estimated there are 350 dragons only fertile females.