A few days ago, the Poznań Zoo showed off its new resident. The Polish garden announced on social media that the komodo dragon named Rakastan was born in Los Angeles, from where he first went to Leipzig, then to Prague, and less than two weeks ago he was brought to the capital of the Greater Poland region.

Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world. In the wild, on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, and Flores, there are just over 1,300 individuals. The dragons reach up to 3 meters in length, half of which is the tail. These animals can weigh even more than 150 kg. The resident Rakastan currently weighs close to 100 kg.

Rakastan. Dwunastoletni samiec warana z Komodo. Przyjechał do Poznania z Pragi, jest nowym mieszkańcem Pawilonu Zmiennocieplnych w Starym ZOO w Poznaniu. #waran #KomodoDragon #Zoo #Poznań #Poznan pic.twitter.com/Ijta2dYESV

— Zoo Poznan (@PoznanZoo) November 24, 2023

Specialists discussed the garden’s new tenant’s biology, behavior, and history on Sunday, November 26, at 1 and 2:30 p.m. at the Poznań Old Zoo in the Poikilothermic Animals Section.