KBS Lends Komodo Dragons for Breeding Conservation Programme

Surabaya (ANTARA) - The Surabaya Regional Public Company Zoo (KBS) has established a conservation partnership with iZoo Shizuoka in Japan for the loan of animals to support breeding efforts.

Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi stated in Surabaya on Wednesday that this collaboration represents a loan of animals between KBS and the Japanese zoo, expected to benefit both parties.

“I am grateful for this animal loan collaboration between Surabaya and Japan,” said Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi.

He explained that Japan’s interest in borrowing Komodo dragons stems from KBS’s success in breeding the species.

He noted that the scheme is not an exchange but a loan with joint supervision for five years, including the possibility of retrieval if certain conditions affect the animals.

“So, the Komodo dragons we have in Japan will be monitored together. If during these five years any issues arise, such as illness, they can be retrieved,” he said.

He described the collaboration process as involving lengthy discussions over the past decade before realisation.

He hopes this partnership will boost public enthusiasm for KBS and iZoo, while encouraging innovation in introducing new animal collections.

“I hope this animal loan can increase public interest in Surabaya and Shizuoka, Japan,” he expressed.

KBS Operational Director Nurika Widyasanti explained that the loaned Komodo dragons are the result of breeding at KBS, representing one of the zoo’s conservation successes.

Nurika also stated that the loan process has undergone evaluation and review by the central government to ensure conservation sustainability and no disruption to KBS’s breeding programme.

“There have been specific studies from the central government, so we can maintain it. At the very least, the breeding process at KBS will not be halted because these two Komodo dragons or pair will be sent there,” she said.

iZoo Japan Director Tsuyoshi Shirawa stated that his side has prepared facilities for 10 years to ensure the Komodo dragons can live in conditions mimicking their original habitat in Indonesia.

For information, this collaboration follows the MoU between the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the Shizuoka Prefecture Government, signed on 28 March 2026. The agreement is part of green diplomacy encompassing breeding, research, and education on Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis).