Komodo National Park is situated inside of the Wallacea Region of Indonesia. It has been identified by WWF and Conservation International as a global conservation priority area and is situated in the centre of the Indonesian archipelago, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores.
What Islands Make Up The Komodo National Park?
Komodo National Park comprises three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as a number of smaller islands which have a total surface area of more than 1,800 km2 (marine and land). It is not only the home to the Komodo Dragon, but it’s actually also known as the Komodo Monitor or the Ora (Indonesian Monitor), the park provides a safe haven to many other notable terrestrial species. The park also has one of the most vibrant marine ecosystems.
What Animals Can Be Found In Komodo?
The amount of terrestrial animal species found in the park is not substantial, but the area is important from a conservation point of view as some species are endemic. Many of the mammals are of Asian origin. Several reptiles and birds are of Australian origin, which includes the orange-footed scrubfowl, the lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo and the nosy friarbird.
The most prominent animal of Komodo National Park is the Komodo Dragon. It is the largest living lizard in the world and can exceed 3 metres or more in length and weigh more than 70 kg.
Other species include Timor deer, the main prey of the Komodo dragon, wild horses (kuda mentir), water buffalo, wild boar (babi mentir), long-tailed macaques, palm civets, native rat Rinca (tikus besar Rinca) and fruit bats.
Beware of the snakes that live on the island, including the cobra and Russel’s pit viper, all of which are highly dangerous.
What Marine Life Can Be Found Around Komodo?
As far as marine wildlife is concerned, Komodo National Park is one of the world’s richest environments. It consists of over 260 species of coral reef, 70 separate species of sponges, crustaceans, cartilaginous (including manta rays and sharks) and over 1,000 different fish species, along with marine reptiles which include sea turtles and marine mammals which include dolphins, whales and dugongs.
The key reasons to fly to Komodo National Park are the Komodo Dragons, the gorgeous beaches and the unspoilt corals.
Bear in mind that there are wild pigs, monkeys and horses on Pulau Rinca, one of the two largest islands in the park.
You can also see thousands of flying foxes (fruit bats whose wing span may exceed 4 feet) flying in the twilight sky when you return by sea at night.
You do have a beautiful view of the stars at night on the sea.
Depending on the time you have, there are one or more guided tours of the islands of Rinca and Komodo. Please be aware that it is not allowed or recommended to do any tours without tour experts, as the Komodo Dragons are dangerous to attack.
This region is home to more than a thousand different species of fish, making it one of the richest marine ecosystems known to mankind. You can also swim in the Flores Sea on your incoming or outgoing boat ride to one of the islands. Look out for sharp corals on the seafloor near some of the small islands.
Komodo National Park gives divers (and snorkelers) a wide array of marine life. This is the highest concentration of marine life in the world as part of the “coral triangle.” The variety of the dive sites is almost unparalleled with hot, gentle reefs with hundreds of species of colourful fish and corals to the crazed enthusiasm of the sea peaks, with huge waves and large pelagics like Manta Rays and Sharks.
The Famous Komodo Dragon
The Dragon of Komodo has a reputation for attacking humans. Beware of getting too close, and if you’re going to visit the park office (which you should), ask for a guide and stay close to him. Do not walk away or do anything without their permission. Komodos may enter the guest rest area during the regular feeding period, but at this period, find a building (which is normally elevated) and stay clear of the railings. Komodos can and will leap to get food if necessary. Park rangers are usually present at these activities and can block any Komodos that are trying to get in (which they can do).
Komodos are particularly dangerous if they are close enough. They can run faster than humans (and speed up really quickly), so it’s best not to touch them if possible. Jumping into water (as Komodos are sometimes found near the beach) is also not a great idea as they can swim faster than humans, can dive, and can swim against strong currents (in fact, often Komodos can be found on nearby islands, suspected of swimming there).
If you enjoyed this post and want to learn about other animals then take a look at the other animal blogs on our site.
