Rare, venomous predator has babies the size of sticks of butter in FL. See them
A rare predator with a “strong venomous bite” welcomed a pair of tiny babies at a Florida zoo.
The little ones who emerged from their eggs are Komodo dragons, the largest lizard species in the world.
“The two Komodo dragon hatchlings — a female and a male — each weigh around 100 grams, about the same as a stick of butter,” ZooTampa at Lowry Park wrote in an Oct. 9 news release.
But Vanda and her brother Norbert are expected to grow, with adult Komodo dragons weighing 100 pounds or more. The “powerful” animals are known for packing venom that “prevents their prey’s blood from clotting, which causes massive blood loss and induces shock,” according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation and Biology Institute.
The creatures also have sharp teeth that make “it easy for bits of rotten flesh to get caught in the reptile’s mouth, turning their saliva into a mini-habitat for harmful bacteria that can cause untreated bite wounds to become septic,” the institute wrote on its website.
ZooTampa said the birth of its Komodo dragons is an important step for the conservation of their species, which is endangered. The animals are native to islands in Indonesia, and only 1,400 adults are believed to be living in the wild.
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The babies started hatching in September, “marking the second time the endangered species has successfully bred” at the zoo. The wildlife park previously welcomed a brood of six Komodo dragons, McClatchy News reported in 2023.
The new siblings’ eggs had been incubating for nine months before they were born to mom Aanjay and dad Titus. While the zoo said the babies aren’t on exhibit yet, it expects members of the public will be able to see them later this fall. For now, photos show the little ones spending their early days together.
“Vanda is extremely brave and confident in herself, and Norbert loves to explore and climb,” Sandra Morrison, director of communications for the zoo, told McClatchy News via email. “Both have great personalities and have been warming up to their keepers nicely.”
This story was originally published October 9, 2025 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Rare, venomous predator has babies the size of sticks of butter in FL. See them."
