Komodo Dragon
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Found only on three remote Indonesian islands, Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) can reach ten feet long and weigh more than 350 pounds. The National Zoo was among the first institutions to participate in zoo breeding of Komodo dragons, the world’s largest lizards. And, it was at the National Zoo that the first Komodo dragons broke out of their eggs outside of Indonesia. A new enclosure now allows the Zoo’s male Precious and female Kraken to roam both indoors and out during the warmer months. In the wild, Komodo dragons eat carrion and also prey on deer, wild pigs, smaller Komodo dragons, and livestock including goats. At the Zoo, keepers feed these robust reptiles dead rats, mice, rabbits, and, occasionally, chickens. Since 1992, the Zoo has reared 55 Komodo dragons, which have been distributed to about 30 zoos around the world. Play behavior in reptiles is very rare, but Zoo scientists have conducted a play behavior study on Kraken, documenting her unusual interactions with her caretakers, some of them reminiscent of how dogs play with their owners.
ZooGoer 32(2) 2003.
Copyright 2003 Friends of the National Zoo.
All rights reserved.
