London Zoo's Komodo Dragon Hits The Big Ten Oh

By Lynsey Ford

London, UK - What do you give a Komodo dragon who’s celebrating a landmark 10th birthday? Well you give him a manicure of course!

Raja, ZSL London Zoo’s adult dragon has had his nails cut in preparation for his birthday on Saturday.

Being a Komodo dragon, and one of the world's heaviest living lizards, you might think that Raja could be a bit of a ‘old dragon’ when it comes to being pampered – but this just isn’t the case!

The birthday boy has been target trained since he was three years old which means he is an old hand when it comes to being groomed.
 
During target training Raja is encouraged to focus on a white ball on the end of a stick, keepers then use a clicker and give Raja food each time he touches the target so he learns to associate this with a reward.
 
This enables Raja’s keepers to work with him safely and means that essential grooming and veterinary procedures can be carried out without causing him unnecessary stress and resorting to general anesthetic.
 
The dragon is a popular animal with visitors, who love to watch his dramatic eating habits. With his long, yellow, deeply-forked tongue and stealthy approach Raja certainly makes a meal out of his dinner!
 
Dragon Facts
 
*         Largest living lizard –  can be up to 3m and weigh 100kg
*         Only lizard to hunt and kill prey larger than itself and larger than it can swallow whole
*         It is the top predator in its environment (other than man) which is unusual for a reptile.
*         Komodo dragons prey on snakes and lizards (including smaller Komodo dragons) domestic animals such as chickens, ducks, cats and dogs, pigs, goats as well as deer and water buffalo.  Has been known to attack and eat people.
*         Komodo dragon saliva contains over 50 species of bacteria and is virulently toxic.  Dragons kill large prey by rushing from ambush along game trails, biting at legs and tendons, maiming the animal and then trailing the injured animal until septicaemia sets in and kills it.
*         Eggs take nine months to hatch.
*         Skin is scaly like other reptiles but each scale has a small point of bone, called an osteoderm, making it very tough, like armour plating.
*         Threatened through habitat loss from competition with man for food, woodland clearance and fires as well as occasional poaching and persecution
*         Males demonstrate ritual combat during breeding season by standing on their hind legs and wrestling
 
Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity: our key role is the conservation of animals and their habitats.  The Society runs ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, carries out scientific research in the Institute of Zoology and is actively involved in field conservation in over 40 countries worldwide. For further information please visit www.zsl.org