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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: August 23, 2007
Contact: Debbie Rios-Vanskike
Phone: 734-7184, ext. 1043
Email: dvanskike@sazoo-aq.org
Baby Dragons at The San Antonio Zoo
The San Antonio Zoo is proud to announce the recent hatching of Komodo dragons. This is the first ever hatching of Komodo dragon at the San Antonio Zoo. Babies can be seen in the Reptile house beginning Friday, August 24, 2007.
A female adult Komodo dragon can lay an average of 20 to 30 soft/leathery eggs, which are more than twice the size of a chicken’s egg. Incubation is 6 to 8 months, and once hatched, baby dragons can weigh roughly 3.5 ounces and are about 15 inches long. Parental care is non-existent. In the wild, hatchlings usually live in trees and feed on small lizards and insects.
Komodo dragons are found on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Pandar, Rinca and Flores. Adult male dragons can grow to 8 feet long and weigh as much as 200 pounds. Females are smaller; usually less than 7 feet long and weigh less than 100 pounds. Komodo dragons are solitary animals and can live 20 - 40 years. Komodo dragons are under strict protection by the Indonesian government and are listed as an endangered species.
The San Antonio Zoo is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the highest standard of care for the animal and plant collections while offering a recreational and educational experience for our many visitors. The Zoo is accredited by the Associations of Zoos and Aquariums and is open 365 days a year. Gates open at 9 am and close at 5 pm and the grounds remain open until 6 pm. Admission for children ages 3 – 11 is $7. Admission for visitors ages 12 and older is $9. Seniors
over the age of 62 pay a discounted rate of $7 and children two and younger are free.
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Photos courtesy of the San Antonio Zoo.
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