The Australian Reptile Park is celebrating another incredible conservation milestone after its female Komodo dragon, Daenerys, laid an astonishing 29 eggs. The largest clutch of Komodo dragon eggs ever recorded in Australia!
This remarkable event marks the second successful breeding for the Park’s Komodo dragons, following the historic first in 2023 when the Australian Reptile Park became the first facility in the country to successfully breed the species. Even more extraordinary, this latest clutch resulted from a rare off-cycle breeding, something never before recorded in Australia.
The breeding pair, Kraken and Daenerys, first mated in June 2025. While the team initially believed the pairing had been successful, Daenerys later laid what are known as “slug eggs”, unfertilised eggs that don’t produce offspring but are an important indicator of reproductive health.
“While it wasn’t the outcome we hoped for at the time, it was actually a really positive sign,” the reptile team explained. “Slug eggs showed that Daenerys was healthy, cycling normally, and still capable of breeding, it just wasn’t the right time.”
In a surprising turn of events, keepers later noticed Daenerys showing signs of reproductive readiness again. She began to swell noticeably and display classic pre-breeding behaviours, while Kraken started clawing persistently at the shared wall between their enclosures, a clear sign he could sense Daenerys was ready.
On what staff described as a “calculated whim,” the pair were introduced once again.
“They bred almost immediately,” staff said. “What followed was something we’d never seen before. A rare, off-season breeding event, the first of its kind in Australia.”
Just four weeks later, keepers were stunned to see Daenerys digging intensely in her nest box, a strong indicator that egg-laying was imminent. When staff checked the enclosure cameras later that day, they were shocked to see she had already laid a significant number of eggs. The team continued to monitor the live feed late into the night as Daenerys kept laying, finally leaving the nest hours later.
Based on previous clutches, staff estimated she may have laid between 12 and 22 eggs, making the final count even more astonishing.
“We were expecting it to be a really small clutch because it was out of season,” said Park Manager Billy Collett. “But when we got in there we thought, ‘holy moly, what’s going on here!’”
Finding 29 eggs far exceeded all expectations.
“This is an incredible achievement, not just for our team, but for Komodo dragon conservation globally,” said Operations Manager Brandon Gifford. “It’s a testament to the dedication, expertise and passion of our staff.”
All 29 eggs are now in specialised incubation, where they will be carefully monitored over the next approximately 220 days. If successful, the hatchlings will make a significant contribution to the international Komodo dragon breeding and conservation program.
Komodo dragons are currently listed as Endangered, with wild populations under increasing pressure from habitat loss, climate change and human activity. Captive breeding programs like the one at the Australian Reptile Park play a critical role in safeguarding the future of the species by supporting genetic diversity, research and education.
The Australian Reptile Park will continue to share updates as incubation progresses. In the meantime, visitors can see Kraken and Daenerys on display at the Park, and even come face-to-face with these incredible reptiles by booking a Komodo dragon encounter.
Komodo dragons are the world’s largest living lizards, native to a small number of Indonesian islands. As apex predators with highly specialised biology, they can grow to over three metres in length. With the species facing mounting threats in the wild, milestones like this highlight just how important carefully managed breeding programs are for their long-term survival.