Watch a Titanic Komodo Dragon Snatch a Shark From the Ocean and Swallow It Whole

If you asked a group of people what animal they’re most scared of, a few would probably say a shark. And rightfully so. Hollywood makes these apex predators look a lot more dangerous than they actually are. 

What if we told you we found footage of a land animal snatching a shark right out of the water to eat it? Check out the video below of a massive Komodo dragon doing just that. Is the shark already dead and washing up on shore? Possibly. 

Watch a Komodo Dragon Snatch a Shark! 

The carnivorous predators known as Komodo dragons consume a wide range of animals. Komodo dragons are enormous creatures, a condition known as island gigantism, as they are the apex predators in their particular environment.  

Carrion makes up a large portion of their diet. But in addition to these terrestrial species, the Komodo dragon also frequently preys on swine, deer, cattle, water buffalo, primates, birds, and wild boars. They frequently use ambushes and surprise attacks to capture their prey.

Eating the Dead

You see, Komodo dragons are opportunistic feeders. These animals will eat just about anything. They can eat the decomposing corpses of dead animals. They have even been known to plunder burial sites of human bodies, which frequently causes fear among the neighboring inhabitants. 

We know – it sounds gruesome. Animals all throughout the world rely on the carcasses of other creatures to sustain their daily life. Although Komodo dragon adults often eat giant prey, young Komodo dragons frequently eat snakes, lizards, and mice. 

They frequently eat prey at least three or four times every day due to their insatiable hunger. Had the small shark in the video not washed up toward the shore, the Komodo dragon likely wouldn’t have eaten it. 

How Komodo Dragons Use Their Immense Size

The biggest lizard still alive on the planet is the Komodo dragon. The largest confirmed specimen was 10.3 feet in length and weighed 366 pounds, while the average weight of these wild dragons is around 154 pounds. Males often develop larger, heavier bodies than females.

They are well-muscled, have a long tail, a nimble neck, strong limbs, and an even appearance. The dragon’s jaws and neck contain muscles that allow it to rip apart its prey with extraordinary mobility.  

Komodo dragons may extend their long necks to see farther away from them. They can hold down victims and scale trees thanks to the razor-sharp recurved claws on their toes. Venom glands are found in the animal’s lower jaw. 

Typically, Komodo dragons administer a small amount of venom into their victim, which oozes into a sizable tooth-made wound. Concentrated effects like blood clotting, hypothermia, muscle weakness, and bodily discomfort are brought on by a Komodo dragon bite.

Is It Normal for a Komodo Dragon to Eat Sharks?

Komodo dragons have flexible skulls, jaws that are loosely articulated, and stomachs that are able to expand. All of these features enable them to eat larger prey and they are known for their ability to eat large prey in one swallow. They are also known as opportunistic feeders and will eat whatever they find, which as the video below shows, happens to be a shark. While they may not go too far into the water to catch a meal, this tasty treat was close to shore, placing it on the menu.

Komodo dragons consume food by tearing off huge chunks of flesh while swallowing them whole and are able to swallow prey the size of goats. These larger animals generally take them a bit longer to consume, about 20 minutes, and quite often they will use an aid to help get the animal down their throats. These dragons have been known to use trees as an assist, which at times will knock the tree down due to the force used.

How Large Do Komodo Dragons Get?

The Komodo dragon is the largest and heaviest living lizard on the planet, with an average weight of around 154 pounds, although they can reach weights of over 300 pounds. Like many animals, the males tend to weigh more than the females and fully grown adults can reach 10 feet in length. The largest Komodo dragon ever recorded was 10.3 feet and weighed 366 pounds.