Chester Zoo Komodo Dragons

B

Beth0482

Member
Hi guys,
visited Chester yesterday and there was a sign in the Komodo Dragon
enclosure, saying they were awaiting a "new arrival".
Did the previous dragon die?, I had seen them in January (possibly-if i remember rightly) and haven't seen one since, unless i've just missed them.
Does anyone know where the Dragon is coming from, or have any news about the arrival?
thanks :-)
 
Beth0482 said:
Hi guys,
visited Chester yesterday and there was a sign in the Komodo Dragon
enclosure, saying they were awaiting a "new arrival".
Did the previous dragon die?, I had seen them in January (possibly-if i remember rightly) and haven't seen one since, unless i've just missed them.
Does anyone know where the Dragon is coming from, or have any news about the arrival?
thanks :-)
Click to expand...

Existing Komodo Dragon pair Flora and Trooper both died this year, but a new female arrived last year and will presumably go on-show once the exhibit is ready to hold dragons again.
 
HGibbins said:
Existing Komodo Dragon pair Flora and Trooper both died this year, but a new female arrived last year and will presumably go on-show once the exhibit is ready to hold dragons again.
Click to expand...
No the current female will not be going on-show once the enclosure, is finished,as she is only a couple of foot long and would be lost in the enclosure,the enclosure will hold a new male but at the moment I don't know where he will be coming from!
 
Last edited:
thanks for your replies. Is the small komodo dragon the offspring from the pair that have died this year?
Are there plans to introduce her to the new male when she becomes bigger?
thanks for all the info :-)
 
Beth0482 said:
thanks for your replies. Is the small komodo dragon the offspring from the pair that have died this year?
Are there plans to introduce her to the new male when she becomes bigger?
thanks for all the info :-)
Click to expand...

No - she was imported in 2012 as a future breeding female. The idea was to pair her with Trooper (who died earlier this year) in a few years time when she was mature. Afaik the plan is still to use her as the first half of the new pair... but obviously a new male has to be sourced first
 
zoogiraffe said:
No the current female will not be going on-show once the enclosure, is finished,as she is only a couple of foot long and would be lost in the enclosure,the enclosure will hold a new male but at the moment I don't know where he will be coming from!
Click to expand...

That's interesting to know because I was wondering about the delay. I emailed them in June after seeing on their website that they were temporarily off show, as I was planning a trip to see them imminently. They got back to me saying about the sad death of their male and that they had a female in quarantine that should be on show in about four weeks (which would have been last week of July) and that a male would be joining her at an unspecified time in the future. However, obviously this guide time has long since passed and I was wondering what was happening with the Komodo's. From your post it seems I shouldn't expect them to imminently re-open the enclosure and I may as well just go ahead and make my trip and enjoy all the rest they have to offer.
 
annnnnnnndddd... we have two new Dragons, that are now on show (have been for a few weeks- i'm a little slow ;-) )
Visited today for Members day and spoke to the keeper around the enclosure, and she told me they are siblings, and are housed together- something very uncommon.
and the young female they have off show will be used with the new male as a breeding pair, when the two mature some more.

have to say, was pretty excited to see dragons back at Chester again!

hope you are all well zoo-chatters?
-Beth
 
Haha reading this thread has brought back memories of when i first took my daughter to Chester, she'd been looking forward to seeing the Komodo Dragons for weeks, when we finally got to their enclosure, i don't think i've ever seen her so disappointed, "Those, aren't Dragons." she shouted, she was expecting them to be flying around.
 
We can but hope :) which will make up for the interregnum through much of the past year.
 
A cluster of Colchester's hatchlings displayed in what was the Boelen's python exhibit maybe?
 
hmm well i was told that either they would keep the sibling female and she would be shown somewhere else in the zoo, or she would be sent away to another zoo.

the female off show is currently too young to breed as is the new on show male, so they are just waiting for them both to mature before making a decision.

Apparently the new male needs to double in size before they even consider breeding.

however i found it fascinating that the siblings are tolerating each other, normally Komodo Dragons live separately and only come together to breed.


Haha Johnny Morris! although "real flying dragons" would be most welcome, these ones will do fine..... for now....hehe
 
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