AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Zoo announced its beloved female Komodo dragon, Draco, passed away on Sunday from health complications.
The zoo’s care team said they noticed Draco had become lethargic, and after running some tests, Draco passed away. An autopsy showed Draco had a reproductive issue called egg yolk coelomitis, which is an inflammatory reaction that’s caused by yolk material in the coelomic cavity, according to a 2013 study.
Officials said the issue is common in female Komodo dragons and has a high mortality rate.
“Draco was a truly special member of the Akron Zoo family,” said Kathleen Balogh, animal care manager at the Akron Zoo in a press release. “She had an exceptionally trusting relationship with her care team, which allowed us to develop innovative and outstanding care practices that will be shared with other Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited facilities.”
Draco was 12 years old. She moved to the Akron Zoo in 2012 from the Denver Zoo. The zoo said its male Komodo dragon, Padar, will be in the Komodo dragon habitat daily.
