The BBC reported Sunday the six-foot-long animal, named Nina, fell to her death after climbing an eight-foot wall in an effort to reach her mate who was housed on the opposite side of the wall.

"The full biological needs and abilities of any animals should be fully assessed before they are placed in a captive environment and from the information we have been provided with, it appears this was not done in the case of the Komodo dragons," a RSPCA spokesman told BBC London.

"We are frankly shocked that London Zoo was so ill-prepared -- especially given the rarity of the species. From what we have been given, it appears these well-known biological facts were not taken into account in the design of the captive-facilities at London Zoo."

A spokesman for the Zoological Society of London, which is investigating the dragon's death, said the action of the female dragon was spontaneous and entirely out of character.

"The design of the enclosure was thoroughly researched, drawing on the knowledge of the world's leading reptile experts, but sadly this individual female dragon's agility far exceed our expectations and research," said David Field, the London Zoo's curator.