Zoo breeds endangered Komodo dragons

Four-month-old juvenile Komodo dragons, hatched in captivity as part of a breeding programme for the endangered lizard, are seen in their enclosure at the Surabaya Zoo, East Java province on June 27, 2022.2. (Photo by Juni Kriswanto / AFP)

A ZOO has welcomed dozens of new baby Komodo dragons hatched in captivity in recent months as part of a breeding programme, offering hope for efforts to conserve the endangered species.

The world’s largest living lizards are found only in Indonesia’s World Heritage-listed Komodo National Park and neighbouring Flores, and just 3,458 adult and baby species are left in the wild according to estimates.