Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world!
The last giant monitor lizards in Indonesia are found on the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Gili Dasami, Gili Montang and Flores. prehistoric creatures, mythical creatures, the last dinosaurs; Anyone who sees a Komodo dragon can easily imagine that many an old dragon legend could go back to this and even larger giant lizards. The Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park are strictly protected and have found one of the last retreats there. Anyone who can observe the majestic reptiles in their natural habitat will certainly never forget this special moment.
Komodo dragon with saliva in the sunshine
His massive body pushes powerfully through the undergrowth. The red-brown scales merge with the delicate clay of the earth. The sight of the giant tells of calm, of strength and of something that can perhaps be described with clumsy elegance. The mighty claws brush the earth almost silently. Its forked tongue pushes itself out of its broad muzzle, underlining the strangeness of this fascinating creature. His rigid gaze tells stories, and if you look into these eyes, you will find depth, beauty and a touch of eternity.
A flight from Bali to Flores is the starting point for this exciting journey with a herpetological highlight. A small boat is waiting in Flores harbor and its crew of four will accompany us to the dragon islands of Komodo and Rinca, home of the Komodo dragons. For an environmentally friendly and intensive nature experience, private tours with local guides are mandatory. Although large excursion boats and cruise ships also want to show their guests Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park, they often only stop for a short time. The fed monitor lizards will then be shown near the ranger huts. So the sighting is guaranteed and half of the tour group is already tired after this walk in flip-flops. The beautiful hinterland remains largely undisturbed. It is reserved for the animals and individual tourists who are enthusiastic about herpetology.
With good shoes, a bottle of water and a motivated local naturalist guide, you can explore the true beauty of the islands. If you also have enough energy to climb a hill or two despite the heat, you can be sure of fantastic views. It took a bit of persuasion to get our guide to understand that we wanted to walk a few more steps than usual. Again and again he explained to us that we might not see any Komodo dragons "out there". We had the courage to leave a gap, persevered and were lucky. The Komodo dragons showed their best side. And at the end of a hike lasting several hours, our guide seemed just as happy as we were.
In the morning the monitor lizards are on their way to their sunning place, warm up in the open area or return from there. Visiting the islands early in the morning increases your chances of seeing active Komodo dragons. We are also early and shortly after our shore leave we can admire the first giant monitor lizard on the island of Komodo. He leisurely strolls along the beach in the distance and takes no notice of the enthusiastically photographing two-legged friends. Only a short time later we are lucky again. A majestic monitor lizard sits majestically on a small hill at the edge of the forest. We are impressed by its imposing height of around 2,5 meters in length. A few meters away, two women are walking along the beach. Balancing loads on their heads, they reinforce the strange feeling that we are just glimpsing a bygone era.
EigenART Between prehistoric times and modernity PLATUX photo art
Komodo dragon with remains of juvenile coloring Komodo Island Indonesia
Adult Varanus komodoenis Komo dragon on the island of Komodo Indonesia
Varanus komodoenis Komo dragon ambulance hunter with perfect camouflage
The first sighting on Rinca Island is a subadult Komodo dragon of about 1,5 meters. It lies on a rock massif in the morning sun and is adorned with the last remnants of its youthful coloring. In order to reach its ideal body temperature, it tolerates open terrain. On the other hand, Varanus komodoensis usually spends the hot part of the day in the shade or in cool hiding places. A good eye is required. Despite their size, the lizards blend in perfectly with their surroundings. The young are still active hunters. The adult monitor lizards are known to be patient ambush hunters. And so we find a massive Komodo dragon that seems to be resting motionless on the forest floor.
Another Komodo dragon has followed its exceptional sense of smell and we can admire it gnawing on the last remains of a maned deer. Here we realize again that these large lizards are real predators. We are not well protected, because our guide only took a large branch fork with him. It should help to keep pushy animals at a distance. Luckily, the monitor lizards don't seem to regard humans as prey and react - given a suitable distance - in a relaxed manner. Komodo dragons can smell carcasses over a distance of several kilometers. The deer died yesterday, our guide reports. Several monitor lizards are said to have fed here the day before. Our latecomer is content with the leftovers.
Komodo dragon eats the remains of a maned deer
Varanus komodoenis Komo dragon on the beach of Komodo island Indonesia
Varanus komodoenis two Komo dragons on the island of Komodo Indonesia
We also find what we are looking for in a small pond. A Komodo dragon quenches its thirst and numerous butterflies buzz through the air. We pause and enjoy the beautiful atmosphere in this lonely place. Our lucky streak continues and some time later we can observe two older males at the same time. Slowly they push their bodies through the root system and undergrowth. Nobody seems to be in a hurry. Again and again their tongue darts out and the monitor lizards examine their surroundings with interest. When the impressive animals meet directly, we hold our breath. But it remains peaceful and everyone goes their own way.
We almost missed the female flat against the ground in her nesting hole. To lay eggs, it either digs out such a nest hollow or uses the breeding mound of large-footed chickens for its own purposes. These chickens build huge mounds that produce heat much like a compost heap. By stratifying and tending to their mound, the birds manage to maintain a constant breeding temperature. Monitor lizard mothers seem to like to lay their eggs in the nest they have made. The Komodo dragons in the Komodo National Park were often observed when specifically looking for the breeding mounds.
In addition to our object of desire, the Komodo dragon himself, its prey and other inhabitants of the island are also worth a second look. Maned deer doze relaxed in the shade of the forest and are not disturbed by the appearance of our small group of four. Yellow-crested Cockatoos are busy preening, and a tokeh's unmistakable call tells us of the pretty resident awaiting the night in his tree bark hideaway. Shady forest areas and open savannah alternate. Rolling hills dotted with pretty Lontar palms dot the islands, and views of turquoise bays make you forget any toil in the hot sun.
Suddenly the loud squeaking of a surprised wild boar sounds, and the fleeing pack leaves us impressed in a small cloud of dust. With a bit of luck, visitors to Rinca may even see water buffalo. After a strenuous but wonderful march we are finally said goodbye by cackling long-tailed macaques. The view from the jetty into the crystal clear water gives an idea of the incredible diversity of the coral reef. So the anticipation of the next snorkeling stop makes it a little easier for us to say goodbye. They will stay in our best memories - the beautiful islands and the most impressive monitor lizards of our time.
Unfortunately, the future of the Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park could look less idyllic, because the construction of a safari park is planned for 2021. Observation platforms and an information center are to be built and the nickname "Jurassic Park" is intended to boost tourism. It remains to be seen how the project will be implemented. We very much hope that this remains compatible with the protection of the Komodo dragons and the preservation of their habitat and that a real nature experience is still possible.
In April 2023 we returned to Komodo and revisited the islands of Komodo and Rinca. In the article Dragon Island update (still in progress) you will find new experiences with wild Komodo dragons and also learn how the islands have changed since our last visit in 2016. Get your own impression of the new safari park on Rinca and be there when we discover a newly hatched Komodo dragon on Komodo.
AGE™ explored Komodo National Park in 2016 and 2023 with local tourist guide Gabriel Pampur:
Gabriel Papur lives with his family in Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores. For over 20 years he has been showing tourists his homeland and the beauty of the Komodo National Park. He has trained many rangers and is respected as a senior guide. Gabriel speaks English, can be reached via Whats App (+6285237873607) and organizes private tours. A boat charter (2-4 people) is possible from 2 days. The boat offers private cabins with bunk beds, a covered seating area and an upper deck with sun loungers. Island views, Komodo dragons, hiking, swimming and delicious food are waiting for you. With our own snorkeling equipment we were also able to enjoy corals, mangroves and manta rays. Make your wishes clear in advance. Gabriel is happy to customize the tour. We appreciate his flexibility, professionalism and unobtrusive friendliness and were therefore happy to be on board with him again.
As far as the language barriers allowed, we kept looking for contact with the local population. Rangers, local guides and likeable chance acquaintances formed a subjective but interesting picture. The lizards occasionally cause displeasure among farmers because they also prey on goats, for example. A ranger also reported visibly affected by a tragic incident in which a child was fatally injured by a Komodo dragon. Fortunately, however, this is the exception. However, he had little understanding for the isolated reports of attacks on tourists. Many amateur photographers obviously forget that the coveted subject in front of their lens is a predator and harass the lizards with close-ups. Overall, the population seems to have a positive attitude towards the Komodo dragons. On the one hand because they bring money to the remote region as a tourist attraction, on the other hand because many old legends and stories associate them with pangolins. A legend tells of the Indonesian dragon queen who gave birth to twins. Her son was a human prince, the daughter a majestic Komodo dragon. Our guide on the island of Rinca, however, proudly said that the big lizards were his reborn ancestors. In the past, the locals often even left part of their hunted prey behind as a sacrifice for the reptiles.
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Source reference for text research
Personal experiences observing the Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park, as well as information from the guide and ranger when visiting the islands of Komodo and Rinca in October 2016.
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