The toxic bites of Komodo dragons may not be as deadly as first thought It has long been believed that Komodo dragon bites were fatal because of toxic bacteria in the reptiles' mouths But new research says the dragons' mouths do not harbour toxic bacteria Instead, their prey's dirty bathing habits are to blame for wound infections It has long been believed that Komodo dragon bites were fatal because of toxic bacteria in the reptiles' mouths, but new research suggests the levels do not differ from any other carnivore The terrifying Komodo dragon could be a victim of bad press, according to new research. It has long been believed that Komodo dragon bites were fatal because of toxic bacteria in the reptiles' mouths. The myth has been propagated in fiction and films, including the last James Bond film, Skyfall. There is a dramatic fight scene in a casino where there happens to be a pit of hungry Komodo dragons and Bond narrowly avoids becoming the creatures' dinner. But new research from the University of Queensland has found that the mouths of Komodo dragons are surprisingly ordinary. It is now thought that the levels and types of bacteria do not differ from any other carnivore and, contrary to popular belief, the fearsome dragons do not save rotting flesh from their last meal inside their mouths that make their bite extra deadly. Lead study author, Professor Bryan Fry, said: 'Komodo dragons are actually very clean animals. After they are done feeding, they will spend 10 to 15 minutes lip-licking and rubbing their head in the leaves to clean their mouth. The inside of their mouth is also kept extremely clean by the tongue. Unlike people have been led to believe, they do not have chunks of rotting flesh from their meals on their teeth, cultivating bacteria. Komodo dragons evolved in Australia and now populate the islands of Indonesia where they lunch on water buffalo, pigs and deer. In fact, the water buffalo's poor hygiene could be to blame for the dragon's bad reputation and perceptions about its toxic bacteria. Professor Fry said attacks on pigs and deer were extremely successful, with about 75 per cent bleeding to death within 30 minutes and a further 15 per cent dying within three to four hours from venom in the salivary glands of the Komodo dragons. Scenes such as the one in Skyfall, where a Komodo dragon attacks intruders in its fiery lair, help spread the myth that the Komodo dragon's bite is toxic. Now there is new research to show that the creature's bite is not laced with bacteria and it could be animals' bad bathing habits that are to blame The largest living species of lizard can grow up to 3m long but can survive on just 12 meals a year Komodo dragons use their tongues to detect, smell and taste prey They eat by tearing large chunks of flesh off their prey while holding them down with their front legs The reptiles can swallow animals smaller than a goat whole Copious quantities of bright red saliva is produced to lubricate the food but it takes a long time to swallow Sometimes the lizards ram a carcass against a tree to help them force the prey down their throats To stop itself suffocating while swallowing, the Komodo breathes through a small tube under its tongue Dragons can eat up to 80 per cent of their own body weight in one meal Water buffalo, however, always manage to escape but with deep wounds to the legs. He said: 'The water buffalo follow their instincts and seek shelter in warm water that is usually stagnant, filled with water buffalo faeces and flourishing with bacteria, particularly nasty anaerobic types.' It is when the water buffalo stand in the toxic water with gaping wounds that they get infected. The researchers found that pathogenic bacteria found in Komodo mouths was simply the remnants from when the dragons drank from sewage filled watering holes. The dragons do not have enough bacteria in their mouths to infect an injured water buffalo. Professor Fry said: 'If water buffalo had never been introduced onto the islands, then this enchanting fairy tale never would have come into existence. The water buffalo are not living in their native habitat of large fresh marshes but rather on islands with the only water source being tiny water holes. So they are basically going to the bathroom directly onto their wounds. This is an ideal scenario for infection, but a situation that is man-made and thus entirely artificial. Fearsome Komodo dragons do not save rotting flesh from their last meal inside their mouths to make their bite extra deadly. Research shows that they are in fact very clean and spend around 15 minutes cleaning their mouths and heads after a super-sized meal of pig, water buffalo or deer Professor Fry believes the next step is to conduct tests on the watering holes to prove that they are the true source of any infection to water buffalo. He also intends to characterise what sorts of pathogens are responsible for the sickness to the water buffaloes. The findings were published in the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.