View it

Komodo
Varanus komodensis
Endangered

The Komodo dragon is the world's largest living reptile. It is found mainly on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rintja, Padar, and Flores. There are only an estimated 1,000 to 5,000 of these monitor lizards living today. Reaching lengths of up to 3 m or more, and weighing up to 126 kg, these reptiles are swift runners and climbers with great appetites for deer and wild boar.

This solitary meat-eater is a reptile, a cold-blooded animal. It is diurnal, most active during the day. The Komodo dragon is a fast runner; it can run up to 11 mph (18 kph). It is also a good tree climber and swimmer.

The Komodo dragon's scientific name is Varanus komodoensis (genus and species). It is in danger of extinction due to loss of habitat. Its life span is about 20 years.

Although often regarded as pests, they are not a serious menace to humans. In order to protect the dragon, the Indonesian government has made the islands of Padar and Rintja into nature reserves for both the lizard and its prey. Commercial trade in specimens or skins is illegal under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.


Habitat: Komodo dragons live on islands in Indonesia, including the island of Komodo. They live in hot, humid, grassy lowlands and in rainforests. They sun themselves to increase their body temperature.

Anatomy: The Komodo dragon averages almost 9 feet (2.8 m) long, but can get up to 10 feet (3 m) long and weighs up to 300 pounds (135 kg). The Komodo dragon has four short legs and five-toed feet with sharp claws. The tail is longer than the body. It has sharp teeth in large jaws, but it has a weak bite. The Komodo dragon senses chemicals with a long, yellow, forked tongue. There are large venom glands near the mouth.

Diet: The Komodo dragon is a carnivore (meat-eater). It eats almost anything that it can catch or find, including goats, deer, wild boars, other lizards, and carrion (dead meat that it finds). It used to be thought that the Komodo dragon had disease-ridden bacteria in its mouth, and, after biting its prey, the victim sickened and died from blood poisoning within a day or two. In 2008, Australian scientists discovered that the Komodo dragon is venomous -- when it bites prey, the Komodo dragon injects the victim with a venom that prevents blood clotting and widens the blood vessels, causing a drop in blood pressure in the victim, which soon goes into shock and is helpless against the Komodo dragon. Komodo dragons have been known to kill people.

Reproduction: The female digs a hole in the ground, lays 20-40 eggs, and then covers them up with dirt. The eggs hatch in about 7 months. Hatchlings eat mostly insects and live in trees.


Komodo National Park

Komodo National Park was established in 1980 and was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1986. The park was initially established to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), first discovered by the scientific world in 1911 by J.K.H. Van Steyn. Since then conservation goals have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial.

The majority of the people in and around the Park are fishermen originally from Bima (Sumbawa), Manggarai, South Flores, and South Sulawesi. Those from South Sulawesi are from the Suku Bajau or Bugis ethnic groups. The Suku Bajau were originally nomadic and moved from location to location in the region of Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara and Maluku, to make their livelihoods. Descendents of the original people of Komodo, the Ata Modo, still live in Komodo, but there are no pure blood people left and their culture and language is slowly being integrated with the recent migrants.

Little is known of the early history of the Komodo islanders. They were subjects of the Sultanate of Bima, although the island’s remoteness from Bima meant its affairs were probably little troubled by the Sultanate other than by occasional demand for tribute.

How to Get There

While most visitors enter Komodo National Park (KNP) through the gateway cities of Labuan Bajo in the west of Flores or Bima in eastern Sumbawa, the departure point for your trip is actually Denpasar, Bali.


By Air

Indonesia Air Transport (IAT)
Depart : Everyday
DPS - LBJ : 10.00 – 11.30
LBJ - DPS :

12.00 – 13.30

Price:
Y CLASS : IDR 751.000
H CLASS : IDR 696.000
Q CLASS : IDR 641.000 (NON REFUND TICKET)


Trans Nusa Airlines (TGN)
Depart : Everyday
DPS – LBJ : 10.00 – 11.50 & 13.00 – 14.20
LBJ – DPS VIA BMU (BIMA) : 12.05 - 12.35
BMU-DPS : 12.50 – 13.45
LBJ – DPS :

14.35 – 15.15

Price
Y CLASS : IDR 761.000
L CLASS : IDR 651.000
M CLASS :

IDR 541.000


By Land

The gateway cities of Labuan Bajo and Bima are connected to Denpasar, Bali by overland buses.


By Sea (ferry)

Travel time: approximately 36 hours

The gateway cities of Labuan Bajo and Bima are also connected to Denpasar, Bali by inter-island ferry.

Contact the Indonesia Sea Transportation Company (PELNI) at Jalan Raya Kuta No. 299, Tuban - Bali (Tel: 0361 - 763 963) to reserve a seat on the KM. Tilong Kabila, which departs Benoa Port, Bali bound for Bima and Labuan Bajo

Benoa-Bima-Labuan Bajo
Fortnightly (every two weeks) on Saturdays: 09.00-20.00 (next day).
One-way ticket (as of 10/6/06) from Rp. 143,000.00 - Rp. 435,000.00

Labuan Bajo-Bima-Benoa
Fortnightly (every two weeks) on Thursdays: 08.00-11.00 (next day).
One-way ticket (as of 10/6/06) from Rp. 143,000.00 - Rp. 435,000.00

Note: the ferry schedule and ticket prices may change with or without prior notice


By Sea (live-aboard)

Komodo National Park is serviced by a wide range of live-aboard boats, with return packages to Komodo National Park from a variety of departure points, including Bali, Lombok, Bima and Labuan Bajo

Prices (as of 10/6/06) are ranging from USD 230.00 - USD 295.00 / person / night.

From Gateway Cities to Komodo National Park (KNP)
You can easily organize a shared boat charter by local boat from either ports at Labuan Bajo or Bima (Sape) to the two major points of access in the Park: Loh Liang (on Komodo Island) or Loh Buaya (on Rinca Island)

Charter price (as of 10/6/06) - excluding meals, KNP entrance fee etc:
Labuan Bajo: KNP: Rp. 750,000 - 1,500,000 per boat / day
Bima (Sape): KNP: Rp. 1,500.000 - 2,000.000 per boat / day