On the Run with Koda the Komodo Dragon

Zoey, our reporter mouse, and photographer Zeek go back into the Enchanted Sanctuary to see the rare Komodo Dragon. But getting up close and personal with the Varanus komodoensis might be hazardous to their health.

Zeek: I really like this new habitat we have.

Zoey: Me, too. Ah, here comes the Komodo Dragon. This is exciting.

Zeek: I’ve always wanted to meet a real dragon! I hope it can breathe fire. That’d be neat!

Zoey: I don’t think so, Zeek.

Zeek: Hello! Excuse me, Mr. Dragon!

Koda: “Miss” Dragon!

Zeek: Oh, sorry.

Zoey: We’re here to talk with you. Are you Koda?

Koda: Who let mice into my area?! Ah…it must be lunchtime.

Zoey: Not quite. Lunch will be served shortly. In the meantime, we’d love to ask you if—

Zeek: We’d love to see if you can fly and breathe fire! Can you? Please?

Koda: (Licks lips) You’ve been watching too many cartoons, squirt.

Zoey: Hey who are you calling squirt?

Koda: I wish, when they feed me, they wouldn’t throw in two ugly mice. This will hardly make a meal.

Zoey: “Ugly?!” Why, how rude! C’mon Zeek, I don’t think we need to bother interviewing her.

Zeek: Uh oh, Zoey, I think you made her mad. Look at her eyes! Not to mention that forked tongue she’s sticking out at us. We’d better go.

Koda: Wait just a minute. You’re just in time for lunch.

Zoey: But we already said—

Koda: MY lunch.

(The Komodo Dragon charges at them. They duck and run.)

Zeek: Look out! Run!

Zoey: Don’t worry, Zeek. I think we have the advantage. The Komodo is the largest of the monitor lizards. She’s too big and fat to catch us.

Koda: That’s what you think, sister!

(She jumps at them again. They separate and she hits her head on a rock.)

Koda: Ouch! My head! (Koda shakes her head woozily.)

Zeek: This way, Zoey.

(Zoey and Zeek run under some bushes and out the other side. Koda smashes through the shrubbery, furious.)

Koda: I’ll get you for that, mouselings!

Zeek: I think you made her mad.

Zeek: It’s a shame (pant) we won’t get to do an interview this week.

Zoey: But we do get to see the Komodo up close and (pant) in her prime. Just look at her…the physique…the stamina…look how quickly she puts on those short bursts of speed to charge after her prey.

Zeek: Yeah, that’s great, Zoey, but we’re the prey!

Zoey: She’s a carnivore, Zeek! Of course she wants to eat us!

Zeek: Then hurry up! Through this hole!

Koda: Come back here, lunch!

Zoey: I would think, Koda, you would want a nice big goat or boar or even some carrion. (Turns to Zeek) That’s a word that means “dead meat.”

Koda: Well, you are going to be dead meat in a second, when I get my claws on you!

Zoey: Hmmm, we’re at Koda’s feeding station.

Zeek: Where’s a flank steak when you need one?

(They hide behind some bones. All goes quiet.)

Zeek: What happened?

Zoey: Shhh.

Zeek: I don’t hear anything.

Zoey: The Komodo is a very stealthy creature. Just wait for the charge.

(Koda bursts out of the plants behind them, fangs bared, and charges right at them.)

Zeek: Run! 

(Instead, Zoey whistles. A large hunk of meat is thrown in Koda’s path. Koda immediately halts, grabs the meat with her claws, and rips a large chunk out of it.)

Zoey: See, Zeek, the Komodo Dragon tears off the meat while it holds down the rest of the creature it’s eating.

Zeek: I think I’m gonna be sick. What’s all that red stuff she’s slobbering all over the place?

Zoey: Oh, that’s her venomous saliva. It helps the food slide in.

Zeek: Oh, so the Komodo Dragon is big, scary, and poisonous?

Zoey: Well, the venom probably wouldn’t kill you. It would make you sick, though. Eventually you’d probably fall unconscious, and then the dragon would be able to follow your scent until it found your body. Then it would eat you.

(Koda continues mutilating her food.)

Koda: Mmmm. You mice are lucky. This is my favorite.

Zeek: I think I’d still rather see her breathe fire.

Zoey: Enjoy your lunch with our compliments!

Zeek: Zoey, can we get out of here, please, before she makes us the dessert?

Zoey: Oh, Zeek, you worry too much.