Meeting the welfare needs of Komodo dragons in captivity while supporting conservation of this vulnerable species.
Komodo dragon welfare in captivity requires understanding the thermoregulatory and behavioral needs of large ambush predators. Animals denied adequate thermal gradients cannot regulate their metabolism or immune function effectively. Enclosures must provide sufficient space for normal ranging behavior, substrate for digging, and opportunities for the stalking and ambush behavior that characterizes wild feeding. As climate change threatens their restricted island habitat, the conservation case for captive breeding programs strengthens, making it more important that those programs maintain high welfare standards to support species recovery.