Komodo Dragon vs Slender Cottongrass

Varanus komodoensis compared with Eriophorum gracile

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Komodo Dragon	Slender Cottongrass
Kingdom	Animalia (animal)	Plantae (plante)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Reptilia (Reptiles)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)	Poales (Grasses)
Family	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)	Cyperaceae
Genus	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)	Eriophorum
Species	Varanus komodoensis	Eriophorum gracile

Conservation Status

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Slender Cottongrass

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Komodo Dragon	Slender Cottongrass
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.

Slender Cottongrass

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, and United States. Currently classified as Endangered 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.