An Indonesian zoo is breeding Komodo dragons in an effort to save the world’s largest lizards from extinction, despite new threats posed by climate change.
Young dragons creep around a zoo enclosure in Surabaya, with their forked tongue darting. Some squabble over a female, while others scavenge for food in a pond.
Only the remote island of Komodo and several neighbouring islands in eastern Indonesia are home to the giant lizards. The International Union for Conservation of Nature added them to its Red List of Threatened Species in September, citing the growing threat posed by climate change.
It warned that rising global temperatures and sea levels will reduce the Komodo dragon’s suitable habitat by at least 30 percent in the coming 45 years.
Officials at the zoo hope that their efforts to save the lizards will prompt world leaders meeting in Glasgow to take action to combat climate change.
Post Your Comments