Adopt a Komodo dragon

Adopting a Komodo dragon at Paignton Zoo is a great gift idea for animal lovers of all ages! Your money will make a real contribution to the care and general wellbeing of our Komodo dragon and our vital conservation work.

We are home to a female Komodo dragon, Khaleesi, who joined us in July 2018. The species may be the world's largest lizard but it is listed as Vulnerable.

Habitat

Komodo dragons live in a variety of habitats but are generally found in tropical grassland and woodland.

Wild Diet

Hatchlings eat insects and small reptiles and as they grow, their food gets progressively larger. Adults are capable of bringing down animals as big as a buffalo.

Behaviour

Baby dragons spend the first few years up in the trees – this keeps them away from hungry adults! Adults are generally solitary and only come together to breed or to feed on large prey items. Like all monitor lizards, Komodo dragons are intelligent animals and respond very well to training in captivity. They are active mainly during the day, and will seek refuge in burrows to escape the midday sun.

Breeding

Komodo dragons lay up to 20 eggs which take around 7-8 months to hatch

Threats

Because they only live on a few small islands, Komodo dragons are threatened by habitat loss and human development. Komodo Island is a National Park and this allows the wild dragons some protection.

Conservation

Classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN. In captivity, Komodo dragons are managed by a studbook which aims to keep the zoo population healthy and diverse. They are one of the most well studied lizard species and many zoos contribute towards researching the dragons in the wild.