Zoo Announces Passing Of 16-Year-Old Komodo Dragon, Raja
DENVER (CBS4) - Sad news to report from the Denver Zoo... Raja, a beloved Komodo Dragon, has passed away. The zoo says the 16-year-old reptile died over the weekend.
Spanning 8-feet long and weighing 95 pounds, Raja battled several health issues.
As CBS4 reported in March of 2018, Raja suffered from painful arthritis which made him lethargic. Zoo officials say after an initial necopsy confirmed several other conditions in which he was already being treated for: spinal disease and arthritis.
Last year, a physical therapist, Dr. Tammy Wolfe, saw success in her treatment of Raja.
A Komodo Dragon is the only reptile known to kill and eat humans. But, Wolfe was always aware of his razor sharp teeth and compassionate to his pain.
"I was watching him walk one day. I'm like, something just doesn't feel right about his gait," Trout told CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh in 2018. "He couldn't even pick his pelvis up off the ground and walk when I first started working with him."
Zoo officials encourage the public to pay tribute to Raja at the Tropical Discovery by learning more about his vulnerable species.
