Komodo Dragon vs Lowland Tapir

Varanus komodoensis compared with Tapirus terrestris

Key Differences

• Komodo Dragon is Endangered while Lowland Tapir is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Komodo Dragon	Lowland Tapir
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Reptilia (Reptilien)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order	Squamata (Schuppenkriechtiere)	Perissodactyla (Unpaarhufer)
Family	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)	Tapiridae
Genus	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)	Tapirus
Species	Varanus komodoensis	Tapirus terrestris

Evolutionary Relationship

Komodo Dragon and Lowland Tapir share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordatiere)

Conservation Status

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Lowland Tapir

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Komodo Dragon	Lowland Tapir
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	30 years	—
Average Length	2.6 m	—
Average Weight	70.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Komodo Dragon

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Indonesia. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Lowland Tapir

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Komodo Dragon

The Komodo dragon is the largest living lizard. It is found only on a few Indonesian islands.