Houston Zoo's ailing Komodo dragon Smaug euthanized

Smaug, the Houston Zoo’s 9-foot, 208-pound Komodo dragon has been euthanized after a series of protracted health problems. Smaug was 17 years old. Dragons of his kind can live to be 25 years old without health issues. less Smaug, the Houston Zoo’s 9-foot, 208-pound Komodo dragon has been euthanized after a series of protracted health problems. Smaug was 17 years old. Dragons of his kind can live to be 25 years old without ... more Photo: Stephanie Adams, , Houston Zoo / Stephanie Adams Photo: Stephanie Adams, , Houston Zoo / Stephanie Adams Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close Houston Zoo's ailing Komodo dragon Smaug euthanized 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

Smaug, the Houston Zoo’s 9-foot, 208-pound Komodo dragon has been euthanized after a series of protracted health problems.

Smaug was 17 years old. Dragons of his kind can live to be 25 years old without health issues.

He was euthanized on Tuesday after significant lumbar spinal cord compression was found in an MRI, which meant that his quality of life was suffering. Smaug was unable to walk, zoo staff says.

Earlier in 2015 he was fitted with an orthosis to assist in movement after his front right leg began developing mobility issues. The orthosis was made possible with help from the Orthotics and Prosthetics Program at the Baylor College of Medicine here in Houston.

It was determined that this latest setback was not linked to the weakness in his right front limb.

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Smaug resided in the zoo’s reptile and amphibian wing where he could be seen by zoo visitors rested on rocks or near the small pool of water in his enclosure.

Komodo dragons are the world's largest reptiles. Their saliva contains more than 50 strains of bacteria. It's a venom that is as deadly as any snakes.

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During the Easter season he was given a large ostrich egg as a part of the zoo’s regular enrichment program. Kids of all ages enjoyed watching him devour the egg in front of them. He was also fond of raw goat carcasses.

Judith Bryja, the supervisor of the Houston Zoo's herpetology department has spent the past 14 years working with Smaug. He was almost three years old when they met. He arrived in Houston in 2001.

And yes, he was named after the fearsome dragon in J. R. R. Tolkien's 1937 novel “The Hobbit” but he was somewhat more subdued in his daily life.

Just this past weekend Smaug was captivating children and adults alike at the zoo. His dinosaur-esque appearance always seemed to interest younger visitors who were in the throes of dinosaur mania.

“Smaug was an incredible ambassador for his species and he will forever be missed,” Sharon Joseph, vice president of animal operations at the Houston Zoo said Wednesday. “It is never an easy decision to euthanize an animal, but it is one we make with the animal’s well-being as the top priority.