Tulsa Zoo Announces Successful Hatching of Three Endangered Komodo Dragons

Three endangered Komodo dragon hatchlings are doing well at the Tulsa Zoo. The three hatchlings emerged from their eggs on March 19, March 21, and March 28, 2026.

“From careful egg collection to supervising nine months of incubation and successful hatching, our animal care team worked tirelessly to give these hatchlings the best chance of survival,” said Zoological Curator – Herps/Aquatics/ Rainforest Erik Kalen. “We’re thrilled to be one of a small group of AZA institutions to have successfully hatched this endangered species.”

In the wild, neither parent offers care after hatching. Hatchlings spend much of their early lives in the forest canopy to avoid predation. Female Luska and male Moloch are visible in the H.A. and Mary K. Chapman Komodo Dragon Habitat in the Lost Kingdom. All three Komodo hatchlings are visible to the public in the zoo’s Conservation Center.

“When we built our new habitat in the Lost Kingdom, the priority was to ensure our adults had access to large indoor and outdoor exhibit spaces to ensure they were receiving natural UV light and room for exercise,” continued Kalen. “This is essential to their health, and we believe it was one of many key reasons for our success.”

The Tulsa Zoo is a long-time partner with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Komodo Dragon Species Survival Plan. This program works to ensure a sustainable population of these animals in AZA care.

Komodo dragons are the heaviest lizards in the world. They are native to a few Indonesian islands of the Lesser Sunda group and are an endangered species with fewer than 3,500 left in the wild due to threats such as habitat loss and prey depletion.

For more information about the Tulsa Zoo, visit tulsazoo.org.