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  • Singapore Zoo
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  • Komodo dragon

Komodo dragon

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Reptile Kingdom
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Quick facts

Lifespan

LifespanAround 30 years in the wild

fruits

DietCarrion and terrestrial prey such as deer, pigs, water buffalo

Habitat

HabitatRugged coastlines, lush tropical forests, savannas and grasslands

range

Range Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores and Gili Motang

The Komodo dragons

Komodo dragon lurking among the trees

Indonesia's national treasure

Seen as one of Indonesia’s national treasures, Komodo dragons are so highly regarded that they can only be given away by the President.

Locally known as ora or buaja daret, meaning ‘land crocodile’, Komodo dragons can weigh more than 100kg, grow longer than 3m and take down prey larger than themselves.

Komodo dragon's forked tongue

Forked tongues for smelling

As Komodos walk, they swing their heads from side-to-side. Constantly, their long, forked tongue flicks out to sample the air, much as snakes do.

The tongue then touches the roof of the mouth, where the Jacobson's organ helps analyse and identify airborne molecules. If molecules from a prey animal are more concentrated on the left tongue tip than on the right, the Komodo knows to head left.

When the wind is right, they can ‘smell’ carrion from as far away as 4km!

Scales of a Komodo dragon

Scaly armour

Rough stone-coloured scales cover their robust bodies, from which strong limbs and a muscular tail extend.

Though males tend to be bigger, it’s hard to tell the sexes apart.

A deadly bite

Komodo saliva teems with some 60 strains of bacteria, of which 7 or more are highly septic. Once bitten, an animal usually dies within the day or in less than a week.

Interestingly, one Komodo’s bite will not kill another Komodo. Scientists are searching for antibodies in their blood that may protect them from the otherwise deadly venom and bacteria.

Studying venom production

In addition, Komodos have a gland in their lower jaw containing venom that decreases the blood pressure of their prey and prevents the blood from clotting.

Singapore Zoo contributed to research work on venom production in Komodo dragons by providing tissue samples to researchers from the University of Melbourne.

The family

Mario

Mario

DOB: 15 Nov 2009 Born in Singapore Zoo

Mario is Bima's firstborn and the first Komodo dragon to be successfully hatched in Asia, outside of Indonesia.

Together, we protect wildlife

Hard to breed

Hard to breed

As with many reptiles, one of the challenges in breeding Komodo dragons is the difficulty of telling males from females without DNA tests or ultrasound scans. After 34 years of caring for Komodo dragons, we celebrated our first-ever hatching in 2009. and we've been successfully breeding them since.

Wild Komodos are on the decline due to a dearth of egg-laying females, poaching and human encroachment. We hope to help ensure their future survival through our breeding efforts.

The IUCN Status

VU

Vulnerable

At high risk of extinction in the wild

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.

DD

Data Deficient

Unknown risk of extinction

LC

Least Concern

At relatively low risk of extinction

NT

Near Threatened

Likely to become vulnerable in the near future

VU

Vulnerable

At high risk of extinction in the wild

EN

Endangered

At very high risk of extinction in the wild

CR

Critically Endangered

At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

EW

Extinct in the Wild

Survives only in captivity

EX

Extinct

No surviving individuals in the wild or in captivity

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