Endemic to the central archipelago islands not just of Komodo but also various others nearby include Flores, Gili Motang, Padar, and Rinca, these monitor lizards are the world's largest/heaviest remaining reptiles (reaching up to three metres long/ten feet and more than 136 kilos/300 pounds). They have an extremely powerful bite and glands that emit poisonous anticoagulants (though much of their diet is carrion) and can run at up to 20 kilometres (12½ miles) per hour. They're protected in Komodo National Park a UNESCO World Heritage Site that covers more than two dozen of Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands. 


(Sharp Photography)