The formidable Megalania was a large monitor lizard that ruled Australia during the Pleistocene Era. It grew to an astounding 25 ft, over twice as long as the modern day Komodo dragon (Varanus Komodoensis). These gods of the jungle ruled until about 40,000 years ago, or did they? Many Megalania encounters have occurred until the present day, and evidence shows that these are not just hoaxes. A megalania skull was found in Australia that was carbon dated back to only 400 years ago. These apex dinosaur-sized predators were killed by climate change and Aboriginals. However, if these beasts found refuge in the unexplored jungles of Australia, they could have established a surviving population hidden from human contact. They have many adaptations to help them survive undiscovered. For starters, like other monitors, it would have had deadly saliva with pseudo-toxic bacteria. They could also stand on two legs to monitor their surroundings, making them stand about 10 feet tall. To top it all off, it's two ton body would have as much force as a dinosaur of similar size. This voracious predator likely fed on Australia's large animals and mega-fauna. Judging by the fact that Australia's jungles are barely explored, it is certainly possible that a giant monitor could reside in the rain-forests of Australia.
5 comments:
If Megalania was still alive, what would it feed off of?
Interesting question. There are many theories, but it would have most likely fed upon livestock, kangaroos, and other marsupials.
Wouldn't people notice if livestock were constantly going missing?
Yes. There have been a few, but not many sightings in farms. They could also feed upon livestock that escaped from farms.
Interesting... This post was very helpful. I hope to see more like this in the future.
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