Komodo dragons near end of stay in Saskatoon

Some popular guests will soon be saying goodbye to the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo.

Thorn and Shruiken, a pair of komodo dragons loaned to Saskatoon from the Calgary Zoo, are set to wrap up their nearly year-long stint in the Bridge City.

Forestry farm manager Tim Sinclair-Smith said the giant lizards have been a big hit.

“The people came out in force last year to see these boys. And they didn’t disappoint. The kids loved it, the big kids loved it, it was awesome!” he said Friday on the Brent Loucks Show.

Sinclair-Smith said caring for Thorn and Shruiken helped zoo staff learn a lot about keeping warm-weather animals comfortable in the sometimes frigid temperatures of Saskatoon.

A Komodo dragon lazes about inside an exhibit at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm on March 29, 2017. (Chris Carr/650 CKOM)

They had to keep the lizards’ enclosure to a minimum of 28 C, with humidity at 60 per cent. They also had to put together a varied diet of meat for the carnivorous creatures, including chicken, rabbit and even a little bit of fish.

Sinclair-Smith said the komodos seemed to enjoy their regimen.

“These guys put on over 10 kilograms in the 12 months they were here.”

The last day for public viewing of the komodo dragons at the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo is Feb. 15. They head back to Calgary on Feb. 16.

Zoo admission is by donation until March 31, after which regular prices take effect.