The Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin is mourning Rajah, the male Komodo dragon who had been one of its best-known residents for nearly 20 years, the zoo announced this week.
Rajah hatched at the Miami MetroZoo in 1998 and came to Lufkin in March 2008. He grew to about 10 feet long and 200 pounds, and he was weeks away from turning 28 when he died. KTRE reported that reaching nearly 28 is an unusually long life for a Komodo dragon, one of the largest lizard species in the world.
Zoo officials credited his long life to the animal welfare and veterinary teams who cared for him. In a statement, the zoo said Rajah was a favorite of staff and the many visitors who came to see him over the years.