Why the Komodo Dragon Was Moved to Endangered
For the world’s largest lizard, the main threat is not hunting but the sea.
By Biosphere Editorial Team · 2026-07-08
The Komodo dragon, Varanus komodoensis, is the largest living lizard. It is found only on Komodo, Rinca, Flores and a few neighbouring islands in Indonesia.
In 2021 the IUCN moved the species from Vulnerable to Endangered. The main reason was climate change: rising sea levels are projected to shrink its habitat by at least 30% over the next 45 years.
Inside Komodo National Park populations are considered stable and well protected; outside the park, on Flores, they face habitat loss from human activity.