Spirit Guide of the day is Komodo Dragon. Be prepared, a burst of fiery energy is soon to wash over you. Now is the time to reflect inwards in order to come to a decision about which path or goal to go after. It is time to apply this burst of energy. Be sensitive to how you use this extra power, for any changes you make now will last a very long time. Do not be wary of taking action, however, just be sure of which action you want to take. The Komodo Dragon spirit guide holds a very strong connection to instincts. It reminds you to have faith in your instincts and know that you can survive. There may be some bond or habit that needs breaking and this guide will aid you in doing so in a healthy way. Enjoy expressing your passions and be especially aware of how your affecting others with your words, keep to gentle and loving expressions of your self. While a fierce guide, the Komodo also reminds us to have thought towards how we communicate with others. Consider the lessons and morals passed down to you by family and community and reflect on how this relates to your personal morals. People who connect with Komodo Dragon don't always care for the company of others, preferring privacy. Although usually moving at a leisurely pace, these powerful and imposing individuals can move swiftly and suddenly when needed. Remember, these souls have words that carry great weight so it is important to choose them carefully.

Komodo Dragons, Varanus Komodoensis, are the largest living lizards in the world and one of the few venomous species. They can reach an impressive size of 10 feet long and up to 366 pounds. Native mainly to the island of Komodo, they also live on other Indonesian Islands such as Padar, Flores, and Rintja where they prefer tropical savanna forests but will travel throughout the islands from beach to ridge top. The Komodo Dragon has eyesight that reaches as far as 985 feet, although their eyes only possess cones so, while they are able to see color, they have poor vision in dim light. They are better at seeing movement than picking out stationary objects. Hearing for a Komodo dragon is limited, less than even a humans, where they are unable to hear sounds such as high pitched screams or low pitched sounds or voices. The primary hunting tool used by the Komodo would be its sense of smell. Much like a snake, they use their long, yellow forked tongue to taste the air, brushing its tongue tip against the roof of his mouth along an organ called the Jacobson's Organ. An organ also found in snakes such as the Rattlesnake. This organ analyzer recognized airborne molecules and converts them into a "scent" that the Komodo's brain will recognize. If the concentration of scent on the left of the tongue is higher than the right, the Komodo knows that its prey is approaching from the left. This is aided by the swaying motion of the animal's head and undulating walk of it's body to distinguish the existence and direction of prey such as carrion. Their sense of smell can help them find prey up to 2.5 miles away. The attack of a Komodo Dragon is based on brute force, attacking the feet of a creature and attempting to knock it to the ground. What smaller prey, they will lunge for the neck. While a Komodo Dragon's strong muscles and large claws are a help for hunting, their main attribute is their teeth and jaws. The Dragon's teeth are large, curved, and serrated which enables them to easily tear through flesh. Once prey is knocked to the ground, these impressive teeth are used to tear it apart, at times the Komodo will rest once it is sure it's prey is dead, finishing them will bites to the belly. Eating is aided by muscles of the throat and several movable joints such as the Intramandibular hinge which opens the lower jaw unusually wide and allows for huge chunks of meat to be swallow rapidly. They have an expandable stomach that allows an adult Komodo to eat up to 80% of it's own body weight in a single meal. When threatened, they will regurgitate their stomachs in order to flee much faster. The jagged teeth of a Komodo work as a trap for bits of meat, creating a protein-rich residue perfect for cultivating bacteria. Approximately 50 different strains of bacterial have been found in a Komodo's mouth, including at least seven which are highly septic. If a prey item is able to run after the initial attack, the first bite is often enough to cause an infection in the prey that causes death within a week. A recent study also found that Komodos also have a venom gland in their lower jaw that prevents blood clotting. While these bites are usually fatal to other creatures, Komodo dragon bites are not deadly to other Komodos. They will eat almost any kind of meat from stalking live prey to feasting on scavenged carcasses. Animals such as Lions will often leave 25-30% of their prey uneaten, while Komodos will leave behind only 12%, eagerly eating bones, hide, and hooves. They will even eat intestines, swinging them from side to side to scatter the fecal contents from the meat before eating. At the top of their food chain as Tertiary predators, Komodo Dragons will scavenge a wide range of prey from lizard to buffalo, the young often feeding mostly on lizards or insects, and are cannibalistic creatures. Due to this, young komodos will often roll in fecal matter to create a scent that adults are programmed to avoid. Young ones will also act out rituals of appeasement such as pacing around a feeding circle with their tail straight out and throwing their bodies from side to side in exaggerated motions. Mating occurs between May and August, the most dominant males using the times when a group will be feeding on a large meal for courtship. Using their tails as supports, they wrestle other males in upright positions, grabbing with forelegs in order to attempt to throw the other dragon to the ground. A female Komodo will lay approximately 30 eggs, laying them in a depression dug on hill slopes or stolen nests of megapodes which are large, chicken-like birds that make nests of heaped earth mixed with twigs. Female Komodos will lie on the nests for the nine months of incubation, protecting the young until they are hatched. Baby Komodos have a rough life at first, often falling prey to other animals such as their own species. By the age of 5 years, they are approximately 55 pounds and are able to eat larger prey such as boars, goats, monkeys, and deer. They will continue to grow throughout their life span up to 30 years.