Antara 12 Jan 18;
Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - The population of Komodo dragons in the Komodo National Park has reached 3,012 heads in 2017, according to Sudiyono, head of the park.
"Last year, the population was 3,012, and it tended to increase, particularly those on Gili Motang Nusa Kode isles, where its population was very small in the past," he stated here on Thursday.
He explained that the population of Komodo dragons (Varanus Komodoensis) in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai District, is stable and not on the brink of extinction.
The giant lizards are found on the isles of Padar, Gili Motang, Nusa Kode, Komodo, and Rinca.
Adult Komodo dragons eat wild boars, deer, and horses, while the smaller ones consume insects and poultry.
Founded in 1980, Komodo National Park is home to the endemic Komodo dragon, the world?s only surviving prehistoric giant lizard.
The park includes three larger islands, namely Komodo, Rinca, and Padar, as well as numerous smaller ones, with a total area of 1,817 square kilometers.
In 1977, Komodo National Park was named a biosphere reserve by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In 1991, UNESCO named the island accommodating around three thousand komodo dragons as a world heritage.
reported by Aloysius Lewokeda
(f001/INE)
EDITED BY INE
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/O001)
