Komodo dragons are the world's largest lizards and present specific welfare challenges in captivity. Their needs for space, thermoregulation and prey engagement are rarely fully met.
Komodo dragon welfare in captivity requires attention to thermoregulation provision, feeding enrichment and space adequacy. Animals unable to thermoregulate appropriately develop metabolic disorders and impaired immune function. Feeding live or whole prey items that require hunting and killing behaviour engages predatory instincts absent when pre-killed food is simply presented. The rarity of Komodo dragon captive holdings means welfare standards are inconsistently developed; zoos holding these animals have unusual responsibility to develop and share evidence-based husbandry.