POWELL, Ohio — The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is mourning the loss of Sapo, a 13-year-old Komodo dragon.
Sapo was under care for severe and progressive arthritis, according to the zoo. His caretakers were giving him treatments to make him comfortable and delay the progression of the disease by using laser therapy sessions, which helped manage his pain.
The Komodo dragon passed away on Oct. 7. The zoo is waiting on Sapo's necropsy to learn why he died.
"While Komodo dragons are large and impressive apex predators, his care team remembers him as a sweet boy who had a soft and gentle demeanor and made his caregivers feel like the best trainers. Sapo was always ready for training sessions and quickly learned new behaviors," the zoo wrote in a Facebook post.
Sapo was hatched in Los Angeles in 2010 and arrived at the Columbus Zoo in 2016.
The Komodo dragon is listed as an endangered species, according to the zoo.
