Komodo dragons in Indonesia
Komodo dragons are native to the Komodo National Park in Indonesia, a group of 29 volcanic islands close to the island of Flores. The island of Flores and Komodo National Park are over 1,000km or a 1 hour and 20 minutes flight west of Bali.
1,400 dragons are believed to be left in the wild and they live on 4 of the 29 islands in the national park, plus on Flores itself. The 4 islands in the park with dragons are Rinca, Komodo, Gili Dasami and Gili Montang. You can see dragons on Rinca and Komodo through organised tours.
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The Komodo dragon’s natural habitat
Komodo National Park was established in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragons as well as many other animals such as sea turtles, manta rays, whales, orange-footed scrub fowl and Timor deer. The park is 700 square miles and has been designated a UNESCO heritage site.
The 29 islands in the park are volcanic, with steep hills, grassland and tropical forest. Komodo dragons prefer hot and dry places and live in the savannah grassland and low-elevation tropical forests. They can walk up to 7 miles a day but often stay in the same area where they hatched.
About Komodo dragons
Komodo dragons are the largest and heaviest species of lizards in the world. They can weigh up to 70kg and grow up to 3 metres long. The average life span is around 30 years both in the wild and in captivity.
Being part of the monitor lizard family, they have scaly skin. What stands out is how big the neck, jaw, and two front paws are. They look docile but don’t be fooled. A Komodo dragon can run as fast as 20 km/h. They have 60 teeth that are often compared to sharks’ teeth since they are so sharp. Just like sharks, when they lose a tooth, it regrows. Over their lifetime a Komodo dragon can go through 4 or 5 sets of teeth.
Komodo dragons are carnivores. Their normal prey is deer, water buffalo, pigs and other Komodo dragons. They even attack humans. Over a 40-year period, there have been reports of 24 attacks in Komodo National Park. 5 of these attacks were fatal.
Dragons hunt by lying in wait for their prey. When the prey walks past the dragon jumps out and uses its sharp teeth and claws to attack. In addition to their sharp teeth and claws, the dragon’s secret weapon is their venom. It is often described as a poisonous bacteria but that is not correct, it is more like venom that snakes have. As a result, even if the animal escapes it has had the venom injected into the wound. The venom rapidly decreases the animal’s blood pressure which in turn means the animal loses blood quickly and becomes too weak to fight back.
After a kill, the meal is normally shared amongst many dragons. However, there is a hierarchy with larger dragons eating first. An even more fascinating fact about their eating habits is that a dragon can eat 80% of its body weight in one go. Since each meal is so large, they can survive on 12 meals a year.
Once a year, between June and August, dragons mate. Female dragons lay 20 to 30 eggs. Each egg is the size of a grapefruit. The eggs are buried in the ground where they incubate for 8 to 9 months. After the babies are hatched little is known about whether the mothers look after the baby dragons or not. However, one thing that is for sure is that adult dragons often eat juveniles.
Larger dragons are too heavy to climb trees so young dragons live in the tree branches. Normally they live in the trees until they are about 4 years old and 1.2 metres long.
How to see Komodo dragons
Komodo dragons live on 4 of the 29 islands in Komodo National Park. However, you can only see the dragons on two islands. These two islands are Rinca and Komodo.
Labuan Bajo is the town closest to the national park. From here you can arrange boat trips for the day or trips lasting several days. There is very limited accommodation in the park so overnight trips mean staying overnight on a boat. Facilities vary significantly so make sure you do your research into the boat you will be staying on before booking.
Both Rinca and Komodo are popular stops so try to book a tour which visits the dragons when the park opens. Early in the morning, the dragons bask in the sun to warm up after the night. They are most active from 9.30-15.30. In the late afternoon, they are often found in the shade under a tree.
A visit takes around one hour. Try not to wear bright-coloured clothing or shiny objects which can attract the attention of the dragons.
When to see the dragons
Despite being wild animals you are nearly guaranteed to see a dragon during your visit.
To experience everything the national park has to offer the best time to visit is from March to June. At this time there is little rain and the northern end of the park has clear water for diving and snorkelling. During March and April, you might also see manta rays in the park.
In July and August, temperatures rise but the main reason not to visit during the summer is because it is peak season. Boats, and the park in general, fill up and both Rinca and Komodo are very busy. July to August is also mating season when dragons can be harder to see.
Seeing dragons at Rinca and Komodo Island
Rinca is the closest of the two islands to Flores. It is the most popular place to visit, not just because it is a shorter boat ride from Labuan Bajo, but because it also has a larger population of dragons. Around 1,300 Komodo dragons live on Rinca.
A visit starts on a walkway which takes you through an area where dragons lurk below in the shrubs. At the end of the walkway is a museum and a forest trail. Along the trail there are no barriers between you and the dragons, so you must go with a guide.
The forest walk is the highlight of the visit. Being at the same level as the dragons and with only a guide and their pole between you and the dragon they seem a lot more intimidating.
Conservation efforts and future outlook
Komodo dragons are listed as endangered and are on the IUCN Red List. The reason for the red listing is because of rising sea levels. As the sea level rises the habitat of the dragons could largely disappear in the next century.
The creation of the national park has been a conservation success story. Since it was established dragon numbers have stopped declining and stabilised. In addition to protecting the habitat of the dragons, the success is also down to the measures in place to prevent poaching and ensure their prey is thriving. Another important part of the project has been teaching locals how important it is to look after the animals and the environment.
By visiting the park and the dragons you will be supporting the conservation effort and the cost of running the park. The negative impact from tourism is seen as low given only 10% of the park is open to visitors.
Dragons in the national park are well looked after. However, the same cannot be said for the dragons on Flores where only 15% of their habitat is protected. The remaining 85% is at risk from dogs, overhunting and humans.
Finding Dragons
With its venomous bite and lizard-like shape, the Komodo dragon seems like something out of Jurassic Park. They are fascinating animals. For many tourists, the reason they travel all the way to Komodo National Park is to see the dragons. And yes, it is a great experience. But so is the rest of the park. Make sure you include a few other stops to see the underwater wonders of Komodo, as well as the dragons.
