And exactly one year ago, they encountered their first surprise: the birth of Juanito, the firstborn. In the days following this hatching, Fénix, Embum, Drakaris, and Saya followed. These five little Komodo dragons became the first to be born in Spain in the last ten years, and the fifth successful hatching of this species in all of Europe. This week they celebrate their first birthday, and their development to date has been extraordinary.
From the moment they were born, the babies live separately from their parents and completely independently, just as happens in nature. This behavior has been respected, keeping the little ones in separate terrariums during their first months of life. Throughout this time, the team of caregivers has closely monitored the diet of each one of them, their health and behaviors, detecting the characteristics of each one to move on to the next phase: the beginning of their coexistence.
With about 300 gr. in weight and 65 cm in length, they coexist peacefully
“First, we paired them up, leaving Juanito in a separate terrarium, since his needs are special and different from the rest of his siblings. The next step is to put Fénix, Embum, Drakaris, and Saya together in the same terrarium. So far, they're getting along peacefully, except for the occasional squabble over food. That's normal ,” explains Milagros Robledo, head of Herpetology at BIOPARC Fuengirola.
Once this coexistence is successful, they will all be moved to a single terrarium, which is currently under construction. This enclosure has been created specifically for the Komodo dragon hatchlings and is located in the new extension that the Malaga conservation center plans to complete and open in a few months. This terrarium will meet all the needs of these small reptiles. “They need high areas to climb, since in their early years they are very arboreal, humid areas to bathe in, light, and crevices to hide in. Therefore, the new terrarium will have high branches, plenty of vegetation, and humidity.”
Juanito and his unborn twin
The first hatching of the first egg brought another surprise: during the nearly eight months of incubation, Juanito hadn't been alone, but had grown up alongside another little one, his twin. Although this twin didn't ultimately hatch alive, it developed almost completely, allowing the Veterinary and Herpetology team to study the malformations it presented and thus delve deeper into the possible causes of its death.
A milestone within the European conservation program for this species
This remarkable achievement is the result of mating between Reo and Ora, the adult Komodo dragon pair residing in the park, and the extensive work carried out by the Herpetology and Veterinary teams over the preceding years. The hatchlings were the survivors of a clutch of twelve eggs which, after being retrieved from the female's enclosure by the Herpetology team, were artificially incubated for nearly nine months to ensure the highest possible hatching rate.
BIOPARC Fuengirola is one of the 30 zoos participating in the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for this species, coordinated by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria . Within these conservation programs, collaboration among all participating centers is essential, sharing experiences and insights on processes such as, for example, this long incubation period. The activities carried out by each zoo also follow the guidelines established by the coordinator of each EEP. Currently, BIOPARC Fuengirola is home to a female and a male, Ora and Reo, and their five offspring: Juanito, Fénix, Embum, Drakaris, and Saya.
A species in serious danger of extinction with only 1.500 specimens worldwide
Komodo dragons are critically endangered. Currently, only about 1.500 remain worldwide , 220 of which are in conservation centers belonging to the EAZA. In the wild, they can be found on the islands of Flores, Komodo, Rinca, Padar, Nusa Kode, and Gili Motang.
Since 2009, BIOPARC Fuengirola and the BIOPARC Foundation have been working on the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for the Komodo dragon, both ex situ at their facilities and in situ on the island of Flores under the Komodo Survival Program. Through this program, the participating centers monitor the Komodo dragons living on the island, contribute to the protection of their habitat, and raise awareness among the local community.
Over the past 15 years, the dragon population has declined by 25% due to the burning of much of the forest where they live and to poaching. Currently, this is compounded by the enormous accumulation of waste carried by ocean currents that ends up on the islands where these primitive, large monitor lizards live.
