This tiny chip allows the individual identification of each one of them in the conservation program of which they are part within the EAZA. The chip will be the equivalent of an identity card for humans and will contain the most important data for your non-transferable identification for your entire life. The last one to have one was Juanito, the first to be born and the smallest of all. And his birth was very special for the technical team of the Malaga animal park.

La reproduction of Komodo dragons Not only was it the successful result of a long and laborious work with the two adults -Ora and Reo- of the park, but it would also become part of a very important mission for this great monitor: the maintenance of a genetically diverse population that ensures its continuity, as well as, in parallel, the protection of the species and the future recovery of populations in their natural habitat.

At the time, the expected hatching of this first egg was accompanied by another surprise: during the almost eight months of incubation, Juanito had not been alone, but had grown up with another little one, his twin. Although in the end it did not hatch alive, it developed almost completely, which allowed the Veterinary and Herpetology team to study the malformations that this twin presented and thus be able to delve deeper into the possible causes of its death.

Although twin births are not very common in reptiles, this phenomenon has been described several times in species of snakes, turtles (including sea turtles) and lizards, including monitor monitors. “Although it is not common, it is not an isolated event either.” – explains Rosa Martínez, veterinarian at BIOPARC Fuengirola. – “But there is no case described in Komodo dragons in which the development of twins has been as advanced as this one; at least in captivity, which is where it would have been easily seen. There are no reports of twins at large, but that doesn't mean it couldn't have happened."

Identification and possible causes of the non-survival of Juanito's twin

On the day of Juanito's birth and the discovery of his twin, the veterinary team began a protocol to study and identify the possible causes that caused this twin not to survive and be born successfully with his brother.

“At Bioparc, any animal that dies or is unborn undergoes a necropsy. In it, the possible causes of death or non-birth are studied. In the case of Juanito's twin, in addition to not being born, he had some very serious malformations that would have compromised his development if he had been born alive. Specifically, he had a mouth malformation. If he had been born, he would not have survived for a long time, since this developmental defect would have prevented him from eating normally,” Martínez highlights.

During the necropsy, it was found that when Juanito hatched, the twin had already been lifeless for a few days. This made the team pay special attention to Juanito's evolution in his early days. "We had to check if he had been able to absorb any toxin from his twin's corpse before being born, but it didn't seem like that had happened and Juanito has been developing properly, without showing signs that the in-ovo death of his twin has affected him."

This phenomenon of twin embryos is the main reason why Juanito is the smallest of all his siblings, since he had to share space inside the egg with his twin while they both developed. The rest continue with a good growth rate. Juanito continues to grow, feeding correctly, but a little slower than his siblings, which is why the park's veterinarians and herpetologists observe him more closely and provide him with personalized care.

Regarding his unborn twin, the BIOPARC Fuengirola team did not want to leave him forgotten and decided to give him a very special name: Boquerón, in homage to Málaga.

Experience and information shared with the entire EEP of the Komodo dragon at EAZA

All the work that has been carried out during these years at BIOPARC Fuengirola to prepare the reproduction of the adult Komodo dragons, as well as all the information regarding the births of the offspring, has been transferred to the coordinator and members of the EEP of this monitor in the EAZA. This information is not only reflected, but also serves as a reference for other zoos that may need help in the same mission as BIOPARC Fuengirola.

“As it is an EEP species, all individuals are equally important for the zoo population, and the EEP coordinator will closely monitor how our little dragons are growing. This coordinator will decide which zoos will receive them, as well as their possible pairings with other individuals not genetically related to them. In this way it “It will ensure the viability and genetic diversity of future generations of Komodo dragons in European parks.”

A milestone within the European conservation program for this species

In March, BIOPARC Fuengirola announced one of the most important milestones in the conservation work carried out within the European Endangered Species Program (EEP) of the Komodo dragon: five offspring of this large monitor were born, after eight months of incubation and almost two years of preparations. They were the result of copulations between Reo and Ora, the pair of adult Komodo dragons that live in the park. The little dragons were the survivors of a clutch of twelve eggs which, after being recovered from the female facility by the Herpetology team, were artificially incubated for almost nine months in order to guarantee the maximum number of births.

Komodo dragons are in danger of extinction. At the moment, There are only about 1.500 copies left worldwide; 220 in conservation centers belonging to EAZA. In the wild, they survive on the island 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 Program (EEP) of the Komodo dragon both 'ex situ', in their facilities, and 'in-situ' on the island of Flores under the Komodo project. Survival Program. Through this, the participating centers work monitoring the specimens that live on the island through the participation of local communities, contributing to the protection and recovery of their habitat and raising awareness of the world community about the importance of conservation. of species in their natural environment.

In the last 15 years the dragon population has reduced by 25% due to the burning of a large part of the forest where they live and due to poaching. Currently, to all this is added the enormous accumulation of waste transported by ocean currents and that ends up on the islands where these primitive and large monitors live.