Central America’s first Komodo dragon!

Central America’s first Komodo dragon has arrived. She has been named, "Langka," which is an Indonesian word meaning "rare" by Parque Reptilandia owners, Quetzal Dwyer & Monica Perez. Two years in planning, this rare and endangered animal was brought to Costa Rica in compliance with MINAE (Ministerio Nacional de Ambiente y Energia), MAG (Ministerio Agricultura y Ganado) and CITES (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) regulations to their approved facility in Pérez Zeledón. Langka was born September 20th, 2004 at a reptile breeding park in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain as part of an international breeding program. She is a descendant of Sobat and Friendty, the first Komodo dragons brought to the United States, a state gift from Indonesia to the Ronald Reagan administration in 1988. Her mother was one of the first babies born at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. in 1995. Her father is from Gembira Loka Zoo in Yogakarta, Indonesia and is now 12 years old.

Why was Langka brought to Costa Rica? First and foremost, the owners of Costa Rica’s largest live reptile exhibit are passionate about wildlife worldwide and work to safeguard and improve the future of reptiles, in particular, by displaying the animals respectfully and by offering the public opportunities to learn and be inspired by the natural world. Parque Reptilandia displays over 36 species of reptiles from Central and South America and the Caribbean with detailed information in English and in Spanish.

Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) are endemic to five islands in southeast Indonesia, including the island of Flores. This island harbors a globally important tract of lowland monsoon forest within the Wae Wuul Nature Reserve. Though protected on paper there has been no attempt to enforce legislation in the reserve to protect habitat and wildlife. A Komodo dragon protection plan at the reserve has been newly formed with the support of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. Parque Reptilandia, now a participant with the EEP: European Endangered Species Programme, will make an annual donation to this project. The program aims to preserve remnant populations and establish long-term sustainable initiatives for future management and conservation.

Komodo dragons are very smart, and learn quick. With frequent interaction captive dragons can become very tame. Unlike their wild cousins, captive Komodo dragons do not develop the deadly toxic bacteria in their saliva which they are so famous for. Captive dragons also respond to whistles and other noises like clickers, used for training purposes. Target training in zoos within the United Kingdom have found that dragons learn to come when they are called. They can also be trained so that they know when it is a cleaning or feeding time. Some experts believe that they have near the same intelligence as dogs and pigs. Langka is learning her name and quickly becoming socialized to her keepers and the public. Though she is now only a little over a meter long, she will grow to be one of the largest terrestrial lizards to walk the earth.

Parque Reptilandia is located between San Isidro del General and Dominical in Pérez Zeledón and is open to the public 7 days a week.. For more information contact Quetzal and Monica at: 787-8007, 308-8855, reptilandia_cr@racsa.co.cr, www.crreptiles.com.