WHITE DEER TOWNSHIP -- Did you think dragons were only seen in movies? Well starting Friday, two Komodo dragons are on display at Clyde Peeling`s Reptiland in Union County.
Sapo and Bonita are 3-year-old Komodo dragons. They are three feet long now, but in a few years they could be up to ten feet long and weigh as much as 330 pounds.
"With those long, sharp claws they can do a lot of damage. They've really not made any attempt to bite but that's still always a possibility," Jeff Cook said.
The large lizards live at Clyde Peeling's Reptiland near Allenwood. Zoological Manager Jeff Cook says the Komodo dragon exhibit has been in the works for about two years. It just opened, and already has many admirers.
"I think they're really cool. Why? They're super huge," Ryan Kolbert said.
Komodo dragons come from the islands in the Indian Ocean and they are used to warm climates. This habitat is kept at about 95 degrees year-round and Cook says it's also energy efficient.
"In the dead of winter here, when it's 15 degrees outside, it doesn't make much energy to heat this building. It's super-insulated and it has a live planted roof," Cook said.
"I think it's a really cool exhibit. It's really cool to see the Komodo dragons," Ryan French said.
Ryan French and his brother are visiting their grandparents in Mifflinburg. Seeing these endangered dragons was number one on their list.
"I think it's important that the kids see what's happening here because you never know how long we're going to have this privilege," Judy Schenck said.
If you'd like to see the Komodo dragons for yourself, stop by Clyde Peeling's Reptiland on Route 15 near Allenwood.