Komodo dragons are one of the species of reptiles that are rarely seen. This is because they are specifically native to some places. These lizards get lots of attention from tourists that would like to see them when visiting some Asian countries. So, if you are traveling to or already in Thailand, you may be wondering if you are going to see komodo dragons in this Southeast Asian country or not.
Without mincing words, komodo dragons are not naturally found in Thailand. This is simply because these large lizards don’t belong to Thailand; therefore, you should not expect to see komodo dragons in Thailand. However, there are reports of some zoos acquiring these lizards illegally, but we cannot verify whether the reports are true or not.
So, if you are thinking about seeing Komodo dragons in Thailand, you may want to discard such a thought. But there are other fascinating lizards that you can see in Thailand during your visit to the country. Komodo dragons, on the other hand, are found in some other areas in Southeast Asia; hence, you may need to visit those places to see these large lizards.
What are komodo dragons?
Perhaps you don’t know what Komodo dragons are and where you can find them. This article will explain everything you need to know about Komodo dragons. As noted by Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand and other reliable sources, the Komodo dragon (scientific name: Varanus komodoensis) is one of the species of lizards.
The Komodo dragon is known to be the biggest and heaviest lizard that is still in existence in the world today. This astonishing lizard can grow as long as 10 feet and as heavy as 70 kg. According to National Geographic, these lizards are capable of living for as long as 30 years. Also, they are some of the endangered species of lizards.
Notably, a komodo dragon boasts of having long, strong claws that are used for killing its prey. In addition, the lizard features a long, muscular tail. Also known as the Komodo monitor, this lizard has a venomous bite; hence, it is considered one of the most dangerous lizards on the planet. Due to the highly developed sense of smell of these lizards, they are strong and quick hunters that can easily catch and devour their prey. Also, they have large, sharp, and curved teeth for dealing with their victims.
Where can komodo dragons be found?
As stated above, Thailand is not a habitat for komodo dragons. Therefore, you will likely not come across these lizards in this Southeast Asian country, except in a few zoos that have imported the lizards illegally.
Simply put, Indonesia is the only place where you can see komodo dragons. These wonderful animals can be found in the five different islands in the southeastern part of the country. These islands are:
- Komodo Island
- Rinca Island
- Gili Montang Island
- Gili Dasami Island
- The island of Flores
It is worthwhile to note that the first four islands are all within Komodo National Park. Apart from these five islands, no other place on the planet is a natural habit for these powerful lizards.
Nevertheless, komodo dragons have been acquired numerous times from Indonesia by various well-established organizations around the world. For instance, The San Diego Zoo got its first pair (male and female) in 1968. The Basel Zoo, the Cincinnati Zoo, and many other popular zoos around the world had acquired komodo dragons legally from some of these five islands in Indonesia. Many of the acquired komodo dragons have bred other Komodo dragons in their new location.
As a result of this, you may be able to see komodo dragons in other places apart from Indonesia. However, this does not mean that Komodo dragons are naturally found in any of these locations.
What other lizards can be found in Thailand?
As suggested earlier, komodo dragons are not naturally found in Thailand. However, it has been reported by different agencies that these large lizards have been found in some places in the Land of Smiles. But it is difficult to verify when such lizards were brought into the country. Therefore, they could have been acquired illegally by some zoos that wanted their clients to see these magnificent animals. Of course, such uncommon reptiles could bring lots of people to visit the zoos.
However, it is also possible that some people have seen other lizards and thought they were komodo dragons. This is because Thailand is also blessed with numerous lizards that could look like komodo dragons to people that are not familiar with the dragons. However, these lizards in Thailand are not as big as komodo dragons. Similarly, many of them are not as deadly as these dragons.
According to the Thai National Parks, over 200 species of lizards are native to Thailand. The most common ones include:
- Asian water monitor
- Bent-toed geckos
- Leaf-toed gecko
- House geckos
- Dwarf geckos
- Flying dragons
- Tree dragons
- Forest dragons
- Green lizards
- Crested lizards
- Blue-tailed skinks
- Forest skinks
It should note that some of the species of lizards in Thailand are extinct or no longer available in this Southeast Asia country. As a consequence of this, you may not be able to see some of these animals during your visit to the country.
Where to see the reptiles in Thailand
So, if you would like to check the astonishing reptiles found in the Land of Smiles, the best places to visit are zoos. Apart from making it easy and safe to see these reptiles, zoos can also offer you a chance to see lots of reptiles at the same time.
In addition, you may see some of these animals in national parks or even come across them accidentally in other places.
Conclusion
You must know that Komodo dragons are not in Thailand as this country is not their habitat. Factually, the only country that has komodo dragons is Indonesia. However, since these huge lizards have been moved from Indonesia to zoos around the globe, you may be able to see komodo dragons in other places apart from Indonesia.