RARE BABY KOMODO DRAGON HATCHES AT THE AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PARK
- The Australian Reptile Park has welcomed a Komodo dragon hatchling following only the third successful Komodo dragon breeding event in Australia
- The hatchling has been named Sunda, after the Lesser Sunda Islands where Komodo dragons still roam today
- Sunda is now on display, giving visitors the rare chance to see a baby Komodo dragon in person
In a rare conservation milestone, the Australian Reptile Park has welcomed a tiny Komodo dragon hatchling, marking the third success breeding attempt of species in Australia, with the Park proudly becoming the first zoo in the country to achieve the feat five years ago.
The hatchling has been named Sunda (soon-dah), after the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia, where Komodo dragons still roam today. After spending almost eight months inside his egg, Sunda finally hatched this weekend following months of careful monitoring by the dedicated reptile team.
The egg was the result of a rare off-season pairing between Sunda’s parents, Kraken and Daenerys. Keepers noticed signs that both dragons were ready for breeding and were stunned when the pair connected almost immediately, a process that can often take days.
Australian Reptile Park Operations Manager Brandon Gifford said the team could hardly believe what they were seeing.
“The moment I found out our little lizard was about to hatch, I cancelled all my weekend plans and set up in front of the incubator to watch it hatch,” Mr Gifford said.
As Sunda’s hatching date approached, the team set up cameras and increased monitoring around the clock. This weekend, the first tiny slit appeared in the egg, signalling the start of a long and delicate hatching process.
“It doesn’t get any more exciting than this,” Mr Gifford said. “I’ve dreamed of seeing a baby Komodo dragon hatch out for my entire life, and it’s better than I could’ve imagined.”
The full hatching process took three days from the first slit in the egg to Sunda fully emerging. He then spent another day absorbing the remaining yolk, which provides vital nutrients to help give him the strongest possible start to life.
Mr Gifford said watching Sunda work his way out of the egg was unforgettable. “It was a massive undertaking and the greatest battle of his life,” he said. “For something so tiny, he showed an incredible amount of strength.”
Sunda is now healthy, alert and settling into a custom-built enclosure designed especially for a young Komodo dragon. Measuring just 30 centimetres long, the tiny hatchling is already showing all the right behaviours for his age.
“He has been doing everything we’d expect,” Mr Gifford said. “He’s been climbing up and spending a lot of time at the top of his new Ficus tree, basking under his heat lamp. He is very happy.”
While Sunda may be small now, he is part of the world’s largest lizard species. In time, he could grow to almost three metres in length and weigh up to 90 kilograms, just like his father, Kraken.
Sunda is now on display in the Australian Reptile Park’s reptile displays, giving the public an incredibly rare chance to see a baby Komodo dragon in person.
About Komodo Dragons: Komodo dragons are the world’s largest living lizards, native to a small number of Indonesian islands. Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, the global wild population is estimated at fewer than 1,400 individuals, with habitat loss, climate change and human activity among the key threats facing the species
About the Australian Reptile Park: The Australian Reptile Park is a hands-on zoo located in a natural bushland setting on the Central Coast of NSW, just one hour from Sydney or Newcastle. Awarded Best Major Tourist Attraction at the 2023 Australian Tourism Awards, the Park offers daily wildlife shows, themed exhibits, and unforgettable encounters with iconic Aussie animals. Open daily from 9am–5pm with free parking and BBQ facilities.
For more information visit www.reptilepark.com.au