A solar-powered airplane finished crossing the United States on Saturday, landing in New York City after flying over the Statue of Liberty during its historic bid to circle the globe, the project team said. The spindly, single-seat experimental aircraft, dubbed Solar Impulse 2, arrived at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport at about 4 a.m. local time after it took off about five hours beforehand at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania, the team reported on the airplane's website. Such a pleasure to land in New York! For the 14th time we celebrate sustainability," said the project's co-founder Andre Borschberg on Twitter after flying over the city and the Statue of Liberty during the 14th leg of the trip around the globe. The Swiss team flying the aircraft in a campaign to build support for clean energy technologies hopes eventually to complete its circumnavigation in Abu Dhabi, where the journey began in March 2015. The solar cr...
Other Names: Komodo Monitor
Scientific Name: Varanus komodoensisConservation Status: Vulnerable
Body Length: up to 3 m
Weight: up to 70 kg
Incubation: 7–8 months
Number of eggs: about 20
Distribution: Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores and Gili Motang
Habitat: Dry, open grasslands and tropical forests
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang, and Padar. A member of the monitor lizard family Varanidae,
it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length
of 3 metres (10 ft) in rare cases and weighing up to approximately 70
kilograms (150 lb).Description: The Komodo Dragon is the largest lizard in the world today. It has sharp claws which it uses to attack its prey, dig resting holes and fight other lizards. Its scales are dark grey-brown. Although the Komodo Dragon cannot hear very well, its ears are visible. Its tail is as long as its body.
The Komodo Dragon is a carnivore that either scavenges for carrion or ambushes live prey. It eats deer, water buffalo, birds and reptiles. It is the dominant predator in its ecosystem and eats almost any meat available including young Komodo Dragons. However, they are a shy species and attacks on humans are rare.
The Komodo Dragon has a mouth full of about 60 long, curved and serrated teeth. When it ambushes its prey, it attacks either the legs, throat or belly first – depending on the prey’s size. The Komodo Dragon bites its prey, oozing venom from glands located in its bottom jaw, which helps induce shock and stops the prey’s blood clotting. The prey usually dies quickly.
If prey manages to break free, the Komodo Dragon can track it for up to three days, smelling the air with its long, forked tongue. They can smell meat up to 4 km away. Eventually, when the prey dies, the Komodo Dragon tucks into its meal. However, it usually has to compete with other dragons attracted by the scent.
Breeding occurs between May and August. Males conduct vicious battles to claim females and territory. The winning Komodo Dragon flicks its tongue at the female to initiate courtship.
Komodo Dragons are only found on a few Indonesian islands. Between 2,500 and 5,000 dragons remain. They are hunted for the illegal pet trade or killed for body parts. This has led to fewer large, egg-laying females. The poaching of their main prey species (deer) and human encroachment on their habitat have also contributed to them becoming a threatened species.
The Komodo National Park – which includes the islands of Komodo and Rinca – was established in 1980 to protect the dragons and their habitat.
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