The community has voted and chosen the new
Komodo Dragon names
The votes are in and the people have spoken! Thanks to more than 10,000 votes the two newest residents at your Toronto Zoo have names! Two weeks ago we welcomed two four-year-old Komodo Dragon siblings who needed names, and now we are proud to present:
Raya and Komo!
The name Raya, means great or greatness, and is derived from the Malay language and is also widely used in Indonesia. Raya has spent a lot of time in the last week scurrying around her habitat and has discovered a great vantage point up in a tree – a great way to keep an eye on guests and visitors while remaining hidden!
The male, Komo (short for Komodo) will remain in the Wildlife Health and Science Centre for the time being and will begin rotating into the habitat in the near future. Both Komodos are still getting used to their new spaces and remain quite shy around people. While they may not be viewable at all times as they learn to shift and out of their habitat, if you plan to visit, quiet voices will heighten your chances of seeing these colourful young individuals!
“It’s amazing to have the largest living lizard species on Earth here at your Toronto Zoo” says Dolf DeJong, CEO, Toronto Zoo. “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”.
Komodo dragons are listed as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with fewer than 3,500 Komodo dragons remaining in the world. They face serious threats from habitat loss, climate change, and declining prey populations across their native range in Indonesia.
As part of our mission to fight extinction, your Toronto Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Komodo dragons, ensuring health, genetically diverse populations and supporting global conservation efforts.
We are excited to share that Raya is the newest addition to our Adopt An Animal program! Celebrate Raya’s arrival to the Zoo, and help to safeguard the future of species, like the Komodo dragon, for future generations. By adopting Raya, you will receive a personalized certificate of adoption, a Komodo dragon species fact booklet with poster, a charitable tax receipt, and more.
