KOMODO DRAGON RETIREMENT PLAN
Steve Cole writes:
Many American zoos have Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis). These large lizards arrive in the US about a foot long and grow about a foot a year in length, eventually reaching the maximum size of ten feet. There are about 5,000 of these huge lizards on five islands in Indonesia. These animals are endangered, and it is possible that there are only 350 females who are capable of reproduction. It is unclear if the population is in decline or holding stable.
Komodos reach maximum size of 10 feet in about 12-15 years, but live up to 40-50 years. The problem is that the older males (those over 35) cannot fight the younger males for food and slowly starve, or become dangerous as they walk into villages looking for garbage or small animals or (rarely) children and old people and bodies in cemeteries.
Rather than letting these old males die of starvation, Indonesia should export THEM (instead of babies) to the US and other rich zoos around the world. The huge old males could then live out their lives in dignity, lasting much longer alone in a large pen with free food than they would in the wild. This would give people around the world a view of the true magnificence of these "dragons", would benefit the old fellows, and would eliminate a dangerous problem in the islands.
Many American zoos have Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis). These large lizards arrive in the US about a foot long and grow about a foot a year in length, eventually reaching the maximum size of ten feet. There are about 5,000 of these huge lizards on five islands in Indonesia. These animals are endangered, and it is possible that there are only 350 females who are capable of reproduction. It is unclear if the population is in decline or holding stable.
Komodos reach maximum size of 10 feet in about 12-15 years, but live up to 40-50 years. The problem is that the older males (those over 35) cannot fight the younger males for food and slowly starve, or become dangerous as they walk into villages looking for garbage or small animals or (rarely) children and old people and bodies in cemeteries.
Rather than letting these old males die of starvation, Indonesia should export THEM (instead of babies) to the US and other rich zoos around the world. The huge old males could then live out their lives in dignity, lasting much longer alone in a large pen with free food than they would in the wild. This would give people around the world a view of the true magnificence of these "dragons", would benefit the old fellows, and would eliminate a dangerous problem in the islands.
posted by Federation Commander at 10:38 AM
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