Agence France-Presse, Surabaya, Tuesday June 03 2014,
A Komodo dragon died Monday in Surabaya, continuing a recent trend of premature animal deaths at Surabaya Zoo in Surabaya, East Java, an official said.
Following the death of a Komodo dragon last February, Monday’s death marked the second of the year.
Zoo official Liang Kaspe said the lizard was found dead in its cage in the morning, and that the cause of death remained unknown. He added that it may have ingested poison.
Surabaya Zoo, Indonesia’s largest, has been dubbed the “zoo of death,” by critics, as neglect has caused the deaths of hundreds of animals, including orangutans, a tiger and a giraffe.
The crisis prompted management of the zoo to be taken over by the Surabaya city administration. However, despite the change in management, deaths have continued unabated, eliciting calls among animal welfare groups for the zoo’s closure.
Komodo dragons can grow up to 3 meters long and weigh up to 70 kilograms. They are world’s largest living lizard, and are classified as a vulnerable species.
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di 3 jun 2014 - 3:19