College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Date of Last Revision
2026-04-28 12:32:17
Major
Biomedical Science
Honors Course
BIOL 499
Number of Credits
2
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2026
Abstract
In zoological settings, whole-prey feeding is an enrichment strategy widely used to prompt naturalistic behaviors; yet, the specific behavioral shifts this causes in reptiles are not well-documented. This study focused on the activity budgets and spatial use of a six-year-old male Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) housed at the Akron Zoo, analyzing his movements in direct response to whole-prey feeding sessions. Over an eight-week observation period, instantaneous scan sampling was utilized to quantify behaviors before and after two distinct whole-prey feeding sessions. Although active behaviors and "not visible" instances increased marginally post-feeding, paired t-tests confirmed these shifts were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Spatial analysis showed a steady reliance on basking lights and heated surfaces across the observation period. These findings suggest that the impact of whole-prey feeding on the dragon's general activity is subtle—even if it remains a viable enrichment option. These results point toward a clear necessity: large reptile management requires highly nuanced behavioral monitoring.
Research Sponsor
Brian Bagatto
First Reader
Stephanie Chandler
Second Reader
Carlos C. Martínez Rivera
Honors Faculty Advisor
Brian Bagatto
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Community Engaged Scholarship
Yes
Recommended Citation
Natt, Gurkiran Kaur, "Behavior of a Komodo Dragon in Relation to Whole-Prey Feeding" (2026). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2114.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2114