FLYING DRAGON

Dragons of the past may have been large enough to carry off a sheep or human, modern dragons eat insects and sometimes birds and small mammals. These are the iguanian lizards, which belong to the family Agamidae. The family includes domesticated bearded dragons and Chinese water dragons and also the wild genus Draco.  

 lying lizards of the genus Draco are renowned for their gliding ability, using an aerofoil formed by winglike patagial membranes and supported by elongated thoracic ribs.  The attachment of the forelimbs to the patagium suggests that that aerofoil is controlled through movements of the forelimbs.

 Draco is the Latin word for serpent or dragon.

Draco spp. are flying dragons. Really, Draco is a master of gliding. The lizards glide distances as long as 60 meters (200 feet) by flattening their limbs and extending wing-like flaps. The lizards use their tail and neck flap (gular flag) to stabilize and control their descent. You can find these living flying dragons in South Asia, where they are relatively common. The largest only grows to a length of 20 centimeters (7.9 inches).

 Their  flight is more of a defense mechanism: partly from predators, but mostly from themselves. One male attempts to take up an area of two to three trees. If another flying lizard invades, the defender will chase it away throughout the air.

 In the wild, flying dragons will eat mostly termites and ants, but in captivity, they can be taught to eat crickets, mealworms, and flies as a staple diet.

 The Flying Lizard is found in tropical rain forests in southern India and Southeast Asia. This includes the Philippine Islands as well as Borneo.

Flying  Dragon

 

 

 

 

 

Asian dragons are more akin to snakes with legs. there are snakes that "fly" in the sense they can glide through the air for long distances. Basically, these snakes can remain airborne the length of a soccer field or twice the length of an Olympic swimming pool! Asian Chrysopelea spp. snakes "fly" up to 100 meters (330 feet) by flattening their bodies and twisting to optimize lift. Scientists have found the optimal angle for a serpentine glide is 25 degrees, with the snake's head angled upward and tail downward. 

 Wingless dragons couldn't technically fly, they could glide a very long distance.