BEAUTIFUL ANCIENT ANIMAL AT KOMODO ISLAND

Komodo Island, Indonesia The world's largest lizards live on Komodo Island, Indonesia. These giant reptiles often exceed 9 feet in length and can weigh more than 300 pounds. This amazing dragon is a carnivore and lives mostly on the deer and wild pigs that inhabit the island. They are good swimmers, and quite agile and swift on dry land.  You can't view these creatures unless on a guided tour, accompanied by rangers. The Komodo Dragon can smell blood from many miles away, so visitors are not allowed to bring any food onto the island. And believe it or not, women during their menstrual cycle are discouraged to take the tour. Komodo National Park is located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. Established in 1980, initially the main purpose of the Park was to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and its habitat. However, over the years, the goals for the Park have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. In 1986, the Park was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, both indications of the Park's biological importance. 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 the opportunity to snap passing goat or chicken. At the same time, the animals have become more aggressive towards humans, sometimes resulting in deadly attacks. Nevertheless, the Komodo Dragon remains a symbolic attraction of the island, drawing a large number of visiting tourists, which provides employment and supports the local economy. Komodo Island is not just known for its heritage of convicts and fearsome lizards but also for its rich marine life and excellent dive sites. Komodo National Park includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands creating a total surface area (marine and land) of 1817km (proposed extensions would bring the total surface area up to 2,321km2). As well as being home to the Komodo dragon, the Park provides refuge for many other  notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer. Moreover, the Park includes one of the richest marine environments including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, seamounts, and semi-enclosed bays. These habitats harbor more than 1,000 species of fish, some 260 species of reef-building coral, and 70 species of sponges. Dugong, sharks, manta rays, at least 14 species of whales, dolphins, and sea turtles also make Komodo National Park their home. Threats to terrestrial biodiversity include the increasing pressure on forest cover and water resources as the local human population has increased 800% over the past 60 years. In addition, the Timor deer population, the preferred prey source for the endangered Komodo dragon, is still being poached. Destructive fishing practices such as dynamite-, cyanide, and compressor fishing severely threaten the Park's marine resources by destroying both the habitat (coral reefs) and the resource itself (fish and invertebrate stocks). The present situation in the Park is characterized by reduced but continuing destructive fishing practices primarily by immigrant fishers, and high pressure on demersal stocks like lobsters, shellfish, groupers and napoleon wrasse. Pollution inputs, ranging from raw sewage to chemicals, are increasing and may pose a major threat in the future.