Using tongues so long Gene Simmons would be green with envy, the Komodo dragons slowly explored their new digs at the Nashville Zoo Tuesday. Funds for the enclosure — the largest in the Americas — were donated by the Patton family, who were on hand for the VIP reception. The new habitat is built to house two male and three female adult Komodo dragons and is located on the path to the zoo’s HCA Veterinary Healthcare Center. It offers visitors a chance to safely watch as the Komodo dragons run for treats during their keeper’s talks and demonstrations. The new habitat also allows for winter viewing, with an indoor enclosure to keep the dragons warm during colder months.
Komodo dragons have a healthy appetite and generally prey on smaller mammals — though they have been known to take down mammals as large as a horse or a water buffalo. An imposing predator, the Komodo dragon is listed as endangered — primarily due to habitat loss — and is on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List with less than 1,400 left in the wild. Known as the largest lizard in the world, an adult Komodo dragon can reach up to 10 feet in length and weigh more than 300 pounds. By comparison, the eldest male Komodo dragon resident at the Nashville Zoo — Lil Sebastian — weighs in at a dainty 200ish pounds and is only 9 feet long. After being coaxed into the new habitat with the promise of some tasty snacks, Lil Sebastian spent the evening exploring his newly expanded home.
The Nashville Zoo is committed to preservation and conservation of this endangered species, and hopes to have even more Komodo dragons as the exhibit grows. As part of a conservation effort, the zoo has partnered with the Komodo Survival Program through the Species Survival Plan — an initiative created by zoos to help promote the long-term survival of various species — to help protect Komodo dragons in their native habitat. The zoo has donated more than any other single organization to the Komodo Survival Program.Â
