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Zoo Miami's Komodo Dragon "Khaos" Has Died

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MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) - Zoo Miami has lost one of their Komodo dragons.

Zoo spokesman Ron Magill said an 18-year old dragon named Khaos died Monday. The exact cause of death hasn't yet been determined but Magill said the Khaos faced several health issues in recent years.

Khaos was one of 27 Komodo dragons that hatched from a clutch of 28 eggs at the zoo in 1998. The 7-foot-long, 150-pound lizard was hand-raised as an outreach animal. It traveled the country with Magill and even appeared once on CBS' "Late Night with David Letterman."

Magill says Khaos was calm and never showed aggression, contrary to the reputation Komodo dragons typically have.

Komodo dragons are earth's largest lizard species. They're considered endangered with about only 6,000 left in the wild.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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