Komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world that can reach 3 m length. In local language, it called “ora”. The distribution of the dragon restricted endemically in 5 islands in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Four of these five islands are in Komodo National Park area i.e. Komodo Island, Rinca Island, Gili Motang Island, and Nusa Kode Island. The fifth island is Flores, the largest island (among those 5 islands) but the distribution of the dragon in this island only in western part (Wae Wuul) and northern part (Riung). The photo above was taken from Loh Dasami, Rinca Island.
Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) includes of the list of Appendix I Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and categorize as “vulnerable” by International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Since 1986 the dragon assessed as “rare” animal by IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre. By Indonesian Government, the dragon listed as a “national fauna” and protected by some verdict, e.g. PP Binatang Liar on 1931, SK Menhut No. 301/Kpts-II/1991, and PP No. 7 on 1999.
Adult komodo dragons are larger than the female, and can visually be distinguished. The longest dragon has ever measured is 3.05 m and the heaviest one is 100.5 kg (after meal) but in normal condition the weight of big dragon about 50 to 60 kg. The breeding season of the dragon occurs around July to August. Female dragon can lays up to 30 eggs about a month after mating. Most of those eggs will hatch (fecundity usually up to 80%) on around February to March. There are three types of Komodo nest i.e. mound, hill, and ground. The mound type nest is the most common nest (more than a half of all nests) that built from the nest of megapod bird (Megapodius reiwardt). The picture above is female dragon guiding her hill nest, was taken from Loh Liang, Komodo Island.
According to the final report of research between Komodo National Park with CRES-Zoological Society of San Diego (incorporate with The Nature Conservancy), the hatchlings averages 18.48 cm in SVL (snout to vent length), 42.20 cm in total length, and 91.43 grams in weight. The baby komodo dragons spend almost all of their life on the tree (arboreal), and become less arboreal when they are juvenile. This degree of arboreal life continue decreasing by their age and weight until they become adult with completely terrestrial. The picture above shows babies komodo that were hatch in Loh Buaya, Rinca Island on February 2005.
Large komodo dragons feed mainly on Timor deer (Cervus timorensis) with less frequently prey on wild buffalo (Buballus bubalis) and wild boar (Sus scrofa). Occasionally, they also prey on green turtle (Chelonia mydas), wild horse (Equus cabalus), and many more. The smaller dragons take their meal after the large ones finished or they try to “steal” the meal. Beside the remainder of those meal, the juvenile of dragon also feed mostly on rat (Komodomys rintjanus), lizards, gecko (Gekko gecko), snake (includes the cobra/Naja naja), bird and their eggs, and insects. Because of this complicated food web, to be successfully conserve the dragon, we also have to conserve and manage their habitat, include all of those prey. The left picture above shows a dragon eating a dead green turtle at Loh Dasami, Rinca Island. The right picture is the eye of the dragon, and the picture below is the claw of the dragon.
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