The Arabian Dragon (Draco sinicus) - Confined to areas of the Red Sea, was equally at home in the water and on land, and was more adaptable than either the Common or Saharan varieties (and thus survives to present times).
        Most lived along the Red Sea, particularly the mountainous coastline of the Arabian Peninsula or in the Dahlak islands. They preyed on the rich variety of marine life in Red Sea coral reefs (of which there are many), while subspecies in the Arabian desert were opportunists, eating fish, snakes, rodents, and camel calves. Though mostly found in the western region of the Arabian peninsula, they did range as far as the Rub al-Kahli and the
Persian Gulf, where Bedouin men hunted them as proof of their manhood, not unlike the Masai do with lions. Northerly varieties died out in Mesopotamia in ancient times, but not before giving rise to the legend of the sirrush, portrayed often in Babylonian artwork. The aquatic subspecies (crocodile like in habits, still breeding on land) managed to survive through ancient times into the 19th century in small isolated populations. This variety breed on small islets behind dangerous coral reefs, but were killed during the construction of the Suez Canal in the 1860s, as bounties were placed on their heads, as they were feared (thanks to yellow journalism) to be great perils to shipping.
        The more purely desert subspecies survives into the present, thanks to the great unsettled vastness of Saudi Arabia and the kingdom's dislike of foreigners. Indeed, the Saud family has become intertwined in myth with the Arabian Dragon, and the saying going if the dragons die out, the line perishes as well.  It is said that the dragon helped the family to power, as according to myth talking dragons appeared in a vision to Muhammad ibn Saud in 1745, telling him to ally himself with the Islamic revivalist Abd al-Wahhab, ensuring the future good fortunes of the family. A captive breeding program today makes sure they do not die out, and small populations also exist in the United Arab Emirates and
Yemen.
        During the Gulf War, Free Kuwaiti pilots painted great rearing dragons on their aircraft, to honor their tradition and bring luck to them in their battle against Saddam Hussein.

        The Great Thar Dragon (Draco tharrus) - Variety found in the Thar Desert (or Great Indian Desert), a 500 mile long and 250 mile wide desert of northwest India and East Pakistan, is not unlike the Saharan Dragon in habits and appearance, leading some to speculate it is some sort of remnant population of some prehistoric dragon, not unlike the Asiatic lion of the forests of Gir in India. The Great Thar Dragon haunts the desolate desert of dunes, rocks, and scrub vegetation, feeding on whatever it can catch.
        The desert fortress city of Jaisalmer, founded first by bandit chiefs in the 1100s, was the beginning of the end of this variety of dragon, as increasing trade through the region (largely between Delhi and Central Asia) brought dragon hunters to make a profit. As dragons were thought to be unholy while alive, the Untouchables were able to make a living off of hunting them, able then through middlemen to offer dragon meat, hides, teeth, claws, and internal organs to the upper castes. The last of these dragons perished in the 1300s, though rumors exist that they still survive today. Nuclear testing by India in the region (the state of Rajasthan) lead to numerous rumors that radioactive Godzilla-like dragons survive in the region, but sadly they are likely long extinct.

Dragons of-

           EUROPE- The Mediterranean or Common Dragon, and the Medeira Dragon.

           AFRICA- The Saharan Dragon, and the Lake Chad Dragon.

           ASIA- The Arabian Dragon, and the Great Thar Dragon.

           THE PACIFIC- The Malaysian Dragon, the Ryukyu Dragon and the New Zealand Dragon.

Back to the Main Page.