Komodo Island National Park

Komodo National Park is national park in South Central Indonesia, Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara. This park is located on three islands, namely Komodo, Rinca, and Padar island. It was first protected in 1938 and founded as a national park in 1980. Komodo National Park covers 520 sq km. The Komodo island has just one village of about 450 people.
The island of Komodo is one of the few remaining areas inhabited by the Komodo dragon, which is protected in Indonesia. Komodo dragon are giant lizard that roam wild over the island. They measure up to 3 metres long, weigh up to 135 kg, and can live 100 years. In 1969 an American (Florida University) researcher, Walter Auffenberg, observes the rare animal’s behaviour. In this report he describes that a female Komodo dragon weighing 50 kgs in 17 minutes only. The animals also have lethal, secret weapon, their saliva. The saliva contains deadly poisonous bacteria. Once bitten, a prey will slowly be dead.

For their meals, park officials regularly supply pig and goat carcasses. Feeding process is important to attract the lizards to viewing areas for tourists. About 1,000 of the dragons are known to live on the island of Komodo, another 1,000 live on the neighboring island of Rinca.
Most lizards are harmless and benefit humans by controlling insect populations. Some species are a source of food, some are killed for their skins, although it is now illegal to do so in many countries. A number of species are threatened by encroachment on their habitat, and the largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, is one of the endangered species in the world.

Komodo dragons have long necks, powerful tails, and muscular limbs ending in strong claws. Like snakes, they flick their forked tongues to detect the chemical scents given off by prey. They spend most of their time on land, although they are capable of swimming and climbing trees.
Komodo dragons firstly interested wester people in 1910. A Dutch lieutenant, Lieutenant van Steyn van Hessbroek was interested in the stories told by Manggarai people in Flores. The he decided to visit the place by himself. He killed a 2.1 metres Komodo dragon and sent it’s skin to Peter A. Ouwens, Director of Zoology Meseum and Bogor Botanical Garden, West Java. Ouwens also visit the island and named the species Varanus Komodoensis. Since then, the site was visited by numerous people, both researches and tourists.