After more than 10,000 votes, the results are in: the Toronto Zoo has officially chosen the names of their two new Komodo dragons. Two weeks ago, the zoo welcomed the four-year-old Komodo dragon siblings, who have remained unnamed until now.
According to a press release by the zoo, the name chosen for the female dragon is Raya, meaning great or greatness, coming from the Malay language. Her brother’s namesake is a short form for Komodo dragon: Komo.
Komodo dragons are certainly a unique addition to the Toronto Zoo: they’re the largest and heaviest lizards on the planet, weighing close to 154 pounds. They’re currently an endangered species, with fewer than 3,500 Komodo dragons worldwide.
This species is also listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to threatening conditions like habitat loss and climate change.
Toronto Zoo CEO Dolf DeJong says it’s an exciting prospect to welcome these large lizards to the zoo, given their size and the opportunity to learn more about them.
“It’s amazing to have the largest living lizard species on Earth here at your Toronto Zoo,” said DeJong in the press release. “We often talk about making memories that last a lifetime, and coming in to see this endangered species, learning more about them, and having the unique opportunity to meet a real-life dragon is another way we are helping create those memories for our community.”
Raya is also part of the Adopt An Animal program at the zoo. The program helps safeguard endangered species, like the Komodo dragon. If you “adopt” her, the zoo will give you a certificate, a booklet on Komodo dragon species and more.
The Komodo dragons are still getting used to their new home, and remain quiet around people. While you can visit them, the zoo recommends using quiet voices near their habitat if you hope for them to come out.
