Komodo Island NOW and NEW

Komodo Island is an Indonesian island home to approximately 2,000 people who are mostly descendants of former convicts once exiled here. The island is part of Komodo National Park and is especially known for its native Komodo Dragon - the world's largest living lizard!

 

Indonesia’s Komodo National Park includes the three larger islands Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller ones, for a total area of 1,817 square kilometers (603 square kilometers of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon. Later, it was also dedicated to protecting other species, including marine animals. The islands of the national park are of volcanic origin.

Komodo National Park - Indonesia

For centuries, a local tradition required feeding the dragons by leaving deer parts behind after a hunt or by sacrificing goats. In the past, this practice has maintained a friendly relationship with the animals, which can live for more than 50 years and recognise individual humans. Ancient taboos also strictly forbid harming the komodos, which is why they survived here while they became extinct elsewhere...

Komodo Island | Origin volcano island

 Komodo Dragon

In 1995 a US environment protection group began a conservation project designed to create a more natural habitat for the komodos, prohibiting the feeding tradition as well as deer hunting practised by the islanders. The deer population consequently increased and is now providing the komodos a more self-sufficient and natural hunting ground than in recent history.

Still, having become used to being fed, the komodos occasionally prefer to seek out easier prey in the vicinity of human settlements by entering villages and hiding under stilt-houses while awaiting opportunity to snap passing goat or chicken. At the same time, the animals have become more aggressive towards humans, sometimes resulting in deadly attacks.

Beautiful diving in Komodo Island

Nevertheless, the Komodo Dragon remains a symbolic attraction of the island, drawing a large number of visiting tourists, providing employment and supporting a local economy.

Komodo Island is not just known its heritage of convicts and fearsome lizards but also for its rich marine life and excellent dive sites.