Komodo dragon in danger of extinction as sea levels rise

World's largest lizard moves from vulnerable to endangered on IUCN red list of threatened species

The komodo dragon, the world's largest lizard, is threatened with extinction as rising water levels driven by the climate crisis shrink its habitat, according to the latest red list" update.

Endemic to a handful of Indonesian islands, the komodo dragon lives on the edge of forest or in open savannah, rarely venturing higher than 700 metres above sea level. Rising water levels are set to affect 30% of its habitat in the next 45 years, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which has changed its status from vulnerable to endangered.