Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Somersby: A rare Komodo dragon named Daenerys celebrated her eighth birthday at the Australian Reptile Park on Monday, her big day coinciding with the release of the final season premiere of the Game of Thrones.
Like her namesake in the hit TV series, Daenerys is also referred to as the Mother of Dragons.
To make the most of the amusing coincidence zookeepers threw Daenerys a special lizard party, complete with decorations, presents and tasty snacks.
"Despite her draconian appearance, Daenerys is a total sweetheart!" Daniel Rumsey, head of Reptiles at the Australian Reptile Park, said.
"We walk her every single day and she loves the attention she gets from our visitors. It was great to see her get into her presents to find the tasty meat treats inside."
"As part of her birthday surprise, we also presented our very own Queen Daenerys with a crown."
While the event was a light-hearted affair, Rumsey hopes the added attention will help shine a spotlight on the plight of the world's largest lizard, who's numbers are drastically declining.
Found on the Indonesian island of Komodo, it's estimated there are only 3,000 to 5,000 of the creatures left in the wild.
Considered a "vulnerable" species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Rumsey said "human encroachment, poaching, natural disasters and a shortage of egg laying females" are to blame for the Komodo dragon's dwindling population.
