Komodo Dragon Island Travel Guide

A small island measuring 280 square kilometers, Komodo is located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. It is famous for its giant monitor lizards, considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today. Komodo dragons are an endangered species and protected by law. Called ‘ora’ by the local people, Komodo ‘Dragon’ (Varanus Komodoensis) is actually a giant monitor lizard. Growing up to 3 to 4 meters in length, its ancestors roamed the earth up to about half a million years ago. The only human population on the island is at the fishing village called Komodo, who supplement their income breeding goats to feed to the lizards. Komodo Island is now a nature reserve, home to a number of rare bird species, deer and wild pigs, all of which are the lizards’ natural prey. This island can be reached by boat from Labuan Bajo.

Read also : Indonesia Travel Guide

See The Komodo Dragons in Komodo National Park

Don’t just go to a usual place when you are going to Indonesia. Except for Bali, or Yogyakarta and Jakarta (the capital city of Indonesia), there are other recent popular destination such as Raja Ampat, Flores, Sumbawa, and Komodo National Park. In Komodo National Park you can see the ancient giant creature that inhabit the island called as Komodo Dragons, a huge lizard that still exist until now. There are 5700 Komodo live in the island with aggressive behavior and appearance, and also other unique species protected.

Many reasons stated as the why you should go to a place such as Komodo National Park. The natural wealth of the islands cannot be numbered either. Can you imagine the distinguish landscape of rugged hillsides of dry savannah and thorny green vegetation contrast with the white sandy beaches and the blue fresh water. Not to mention you can get to know other local animals that are also protected by the government apart from Komodo itself.

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Komodo Dragon Island Facts

The volcanic islands included in the Komodo National Park are Rinca Island, Komodo Island, Padar Island and some smaller ones. It is located between the Sumbawa Island and Flores. Komodo National Park is inhabited by 5700 Komodo that exist only in these islands of Indonesia and nowhere else in the world. The Komodo draws great interest to scientists who want to study the theory of evolution. How this creature can survive from time to time in the dry savannah where life can be so tough.

Komodo is usually called as Komodo Dragons. They are very aggressive so visitors need to be careful when look at them closely, with its fearsome appearance overall. Komodo Dragons are the largest living species of lizard that can grow to an average length of 2 to 3 meters. The species is the last representative of relic population of large lizards that once lived across Indonesia and Australia.

Komodo Dragon Island National Park

Included as the Komodo National Park are the Komodo Island itself, Rinca Island and Padar Island, where Komodo Dragons and other protected species live. The Komodo National Park is located in the ‘shatter belt’ within the Wallacea Biogeographical Region situated between Australian and Sunda ecosystems.

Komodo National Park becomes a global conservation priority area with unparalleled terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The dry climate has triggered some evolutionary adaptation. The rugged hillside and dry vegetation live together with the sandy beaches and blue coral-rich waters.

Other Animals Protected in Komodo National Park

As stated before, if you come here you will also see other species that become the main concern to be protected by the government. They are the original inhabitants of the islands. Orange-footed scrub fowl, endemic rat, and Timor deer are just some creature live in the same place as the Komodo Dragon. Other animals are like five species of sea turtles, blue whales and sperm whales, 10 species of dolphins, dugongs, and rich coral reef in the sea. 72 species of birds like the crab-eating macaque, lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo, noisy friarbird, and many other also live in Komodo National Park.

How to get to Komodo Island

To reach this place, tourists can go by land from Bali-Mataram (Lombok Island)-Bima-Sape (Sumbawa Island) and then continue to sea travel by ferry to Labuan Bajo. From Labuan Bajo they can drop by the Komodo National Park using motorboat or speedboat. They can also fly from Bali (Denpasar) to Labuan Bajo every day with the flights available.

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