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Here be dragons

Recent research now seems to show that the Komodo dragons are highly venomous. So it's not just the toxic brew of bacteria living in their mouths, but the anti-coagulant properities in their venom which helps to disable their prey: making the dragon the largest venomous animal in the world. Around the research station, the dragons can be easily found, making the day's work for the rangers much more interesting. Stephen Fry is apprehensive about meeting these dangerous animals and isn't impressed by their looks. The ranger tries to love his job in spite of the danger. They can eat 80% of their own weight in one sitting. They use their forked tongues to detect the direction of a smell, almost like a stereo system. It's so powerful they can detect smells from over 4km away.

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4 minutes

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