What is the IUCN status of the Komodo dragon?

The IUCN status of the Komodo dragon is Endangered. This classification applies to Varanus komodoensis, the world’s largest living lizard, whose surviving wild populations are restricted to a small group of Indonesian islands.

Komodo dragons live mainly on Komodo, Rinca, Gili Motang, and parts of Flores. Their isolation makes them especially vulnerable to changes in prey availability, habitat, climate, and human activity. They depend on large prey such as deer and wild pigs, so declines in those animals can affect the dragons as well.

Indonesia established Komodo National Park in 1980 to protect the species and its habitat. The park includes Komodo, Rinca, and Padar, although the dragon also occurs outside the park on Flores. A common mistake is choosing Vulnerable or Critically Endangered because those are nearby IUCN categories. Endangered is the official category for the species, while local populations may face different levels of risk. The dragon’s restricted range and small, fragmented distribution are central reasons for its listing.