SF Zoo’s New Komodo Dragon

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – San Francisco Zoo is thrilled to announce the opening of “Komodo Alley,” a renovated exhibit space that will house the Zoo’s new Komodo dragon. Komodo Alley features special enhancements designed to ensure the health and comfort for this young animal as he matures. The exhibit space, formerly known as Binowee Landing, will maintain temperatures upwards of 85 degrees at all times, just like Komodo Island.

“We are very excited to welcome this magnificent creature to the Zoo community, and hope that its introduction here in San Francisco raises awareness about its vulnerable status as a species,” said Tanya Peterson, President and Executive Director of the San Francisco Zoological Society. 

Coming from the Knoxville Zoo, this 2-year-old male dragon currently measures 47 inches long and weighs approximately five pounds. Staff and visitors alike are sure to be fascinated as they watch him grow. The body proportions of a typical young Komodo dragon are 30 percent body and 60 percent tail, but this changes to a 50/50 ratio when the Komodo becomes an adult. Once it reaches breeding maturity at five years, it can grow over nine feet in length and weigh close to 150 pounds.

Komodo dragons are the world’s largest lizards. Males can weigh up to 200 pounds and reach 9-feet long! It was once thought that Komodos killed their prey with bacteria inside their mouths, but they actually use complex venom that causes blood loss and low blood pressure. Komodo dragons occasionally eat up to 80 percent of their body weight in one meal. When threatened, Komodos may throw up food to reduce their weight in order to flee. Although they are listed as vulnerable, a tourist trade has developed and people travel long distances to see these magnificent lizards. Hopefully the tourist trade and habitat preservation will help protect them in the future. Komodo dragons have a large body with a strong tail and powerful limbs. They are covered in thick, rough scales. They use their long tongue like a snake to help them smell their surroundings. They can smell rotting carrion from over two miles away.

The mission of the San Francisco Zoo is to connect visitors with wildlife, inspire caring for nature and advance conservation action. Nestled against the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Zoo is an urban oasis. It is home to over 1,000 exotic, endangered and rescued animals representing more than 250 species and lovely peaceful gardens full of native and foreign plants. The majestic African Savanna offers a multi-species landscape with giraffes, zebras, kudu, ostriches and more. At Grizzly Gulch visitors can get nose-to-nose with rescued grizzly sisters Kachina and Kiona. Lemurs leap through Lemur Forest, the largest outdoor lemur habitat in the country. Penguin Island is home to the largest colony of Magellanic penguins outside of the wild. The Zoo’s troop of gorillas lives in the lush Gorilla Preserve. Farm animals for feeding and petting can be found in the popular Fisher Family Children’s Zoo. The historic 1921 Dentzel Carousel and 1904 miniature Little Puffer steam train are treasured by generations of visitors. The San Francisco Zoo offers a rich history for its guests, including fun rides, educational programs and exciting events for children of all ages. The San Francisco Zoo is proud to be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).