AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Zoo has welcomed a male Komodo dragon named Jasper.
Native to Indonesia, Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world, reaching up to 10 feet long and, on average, weighing between 150 and 300 pounds, the Akron Zoo said in a release.
Jasper, a four-year-old Komodo dragon who hatched on Aug. 4, 2019, weighs 10 pounds and is a little over 4 feet long.
The young lizard also has family members associated with the Akron Zoo, the zoo said.
Draco, the zoo’s previous female Komodo dragon, was Jasper’s aunt, and his mother, Charlie, lived at the Akron Zoo between 2012 and 2016.
Charlie was moved to the Chattanooga Zoo based on breeding recommendations from the Komodo Dragon Species Survival Plan.
The IUCN Red List classifies Komodo dragons as endangered because of habitat loss, hunting, climate change and invasive species that introduce diseases. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Akron Zoo participates in more than 40 species survival plans, including a plan for Komodo dragons.
The plans help establish genetically diverse populations of endangered species in accredited facilities around the globe.
After Jasper hatched, DNA testing revealed that he and his two brothers were reproduced through parthenogenesis. With this type of reproduction, the female can produce offspring without male fertilization.
Jasper now joins Padar, the zoo’s other male Komodo dragon. However, because Komodo dragons prefer to be solitary, the two lizards will alternate appearances in the zoo’s public habitat, the zoo said.
For more information, visit the Akron Zoo website or call 330-375-2550.