CINCINNATI — Over the weekend, the Cincinnati Zoo said farewell to a resident who's delighted guests for 14 years: Hudo, the Komodo dragon.
On Tuesday, the zoo announced Hudo's death on its blog page.
The 20-year-old Komodo dragon's health was compromised by an irreversible, age-related spine issue, the zoo said.
Hudo hatched at the Denver Zoo in 2003. He moved to the Indianapolis Zoo in 2009, then moved to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens just six months later.
"Unlike many dragons that dull with age, Hudo remained beautifully colored," reads the blog post from the zoo. "Careful monitoring of his diet kept him lean and youthful looking, even as he aged."
Hudo was a unique Komodo dragon: He was the grandchild of Wanita and Naga, who were gifted to former President George H.W. Bush in 1990 by President Suharto of Indonesia. Bush gave the dragon couple to the Cincinnati Zoo, because of its prior success in mating endangered and rare species.
Naga, Hudo's grandfather, was the largest Komodo dragon in the western hemisphere, weighing around 260 pounds and reaching a length of over nine feet. He went on to become the most successful breeding Komodo dragon, fathering up to 55 hatchlings.
According to the zoo, despite the fearsome name Hudo's species bears, he behaved more like a Golden Retriever, which sparked his caretakers to describe him as a "good boy."
The zoo says those caretakers noticed Hudo's vision worsened a few years ago, which led to the Komodo dragon receiving double cataract surgery in November 2020. Hudo was the first Komodo dragon in the world to receive such a surgery, the zoo said.
Dragon fans will still be able to appreciate and visit with a Komodo dragon at the Cincinnati Zoo: Frunobulax, a 1-year-old dragon from the Bronx Zoo arrived at the Cincinnati Zoo in May. He can be found in the Reptile House. While he weighs just over 1 pound now, he will grow to be 100 pounds or more, the zoo said.
"He will not take the place of Hudo in our hearts, but he will earn a place of his own," reads the zoo's blog.
Watch Live:
