麻豆社

A perentie is a type of monitor lizard and is the closest thing that Australia has to a modern-day Velociraptor. A full-grown perentie has few natural enemies to worry about. But in the Australian bush, there is not much prey either. Or at least there wasn鈥檛 until the mid 1800s when European settlers introduced rabbits to the outback. The rabbits bred quickly and soon became Australia鈥檚 most hated pest. Enter the dragon. Monitor lizards have outsized lungs, a large blood volume and muscles that are exceptionally good at storing oxygen. This makes them the champion runners of the reptile world. The best thing a rabbit can do is go underground. But even there it is not safe. The perentie鈥檚 long curved claws are perfect digging tools, and it has exceptional stamina. Once it gets stuck in to digging the rabbit out, there is no stopping it. Its exceptionally strong jaws and big teeth can crush a rabbit鈥檚 skull in a single bite, killing it instantly. Another triumph in the reptile鈥檚 cold war with the warm-bloods.