Komodo Dragons: A Species Primer

The Komodo dragons are the world's largest lizard is one of the world's wonders that still intrigue some people. The Komodo dragon was discovered "in 1910, after hearing about "land crocodiles", Lieutenant van Steyn van Hensbroek, of the Dutch colonial administration in Indonesia..." [2] Regardless of its sheer size and lack of a pleasant appearance it is a member of the Endangered Species List. Thanks to the List, the rather remarkable lizard will hopefully survive for future generations to see. Because knowledge can affect a person's attitude towards a situation, educating locals and people around the world about what the komodo dragon is, the projects that are being done to aid in the protection of them, and the enforcement of poaching laws are all essential to the species and its main food source.

Knowledge about the Komodo dragon can make the difference in a person's attitude toward conserving the Komodo dragon. If the only knowledge one knows about a dragon is negative, then they would be less opted to saving the species. However, if they were to learn more about them and learn how to coexist, then they may be more likely to support the conservation of the species. After all just hearing the name Komodo 'dragon' does not give anyone any facts that they can base an opinion without relying on just emotions. Not only knowing about the size of the Komodo dragon and what it is capable of is important, but knowing about the ecosystem that supports them is also very important. Knowing how many Komodo dragons are left in the wild and the cause of their reduced numbers is also important. After all what exactly is a Komodo dragon? As stated above, the Komodo dragon is the world's largest living lizard. It can weigh as much as 300 pounds and be as long as 10 feet long [1]. A komodo dragon can eat anything with in its domain. Its diet can include "...carrion, deer, pigs, smaller dragons, and even large water buffalo and humans" [1]. Even though it is rather large the Komodo dragon uses camouflage and waits for its prey. When the dragon finally strikes it's pray it bites with a mouth filled with about 50 strains of bacteria that will kill the prey with blood poisoning within 24 hours [1]. This could be the reason most of the people that have to live with the Komodo dragon have killed the dragons to try and protect their livestock and themselves from the bite by a dragon. Due to the growth of the human population that is taking over the Komodo dragon's home range and the poaching of its main source of food there are only 3000 lizards and about only 600 breading females left [2]. "In fact it is the poaching of deer that is blamed for the disappearance of Komodo Dragons from the island of Padar... in the late 1970's" [2]. The other possible reason why the number of Komodo dragons has decreased is the vegetation being cut down for humans to build and creating paths by cutting down the dense vegetation that the dragons use to camouflage during their hunts. In order to combat the decrease in population breeding in zoos is just one of the projects that are being done to try and help protect the Komodo dragons from becoming extinct.

Due to the classification as "...Vulnerable by The World Conservation Union (IUCN), most Komodo Dragons remain within the Komodo National Park..." [2]. Here the locals attempt to keep the dragon safe from being poached and from the poaching of their food sources. Another thing that is being done to help save the species from extinction is to try to breed them in captivity. "In 1992, Kraken was born at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., in the United States" [2]. Ever since then there has been many more Komodo dragons that have been hatched in zoos throughout the world that has survived. Other very important contributors to the survival of the Komodo dragons are the study of them. "There are numbers of people working directly on Komodo Dragon related projects or on other projects benefiting conservation of this species including the care of the Komodo National Park" [2]. One of the other problems with the survival of this species is the diversity of the genes. Because of the reduced number of females and the size of its territory there are chances of mating with similar genetic pools are great. Because of this "a large number of Komodo Dragons have been genetically sampled and micro-chipped and studies into the genetic range and maintenance of the genetic pool are part of the ongoing study of this species" [2]. Even though these attempts to save the Komodo dragons is an ongoing project, the numbers are still dropping in the wild and the variety of the gene pool is falling fast; therefore, much more to be done to save the Komodo dragon from extinction.

The fact that laws against poaching and trading of Komodo dragons are not enforced is a major issue to its survival. Efforts such as the "Komodo National Park, established in 1980, and strict anti-poaching laws have helped protect the dragons, although illegal activity still takes place" [3]. There is still poaching of the Komodo dragons that are being traded in the black market. Not only should the poaching laws be enforced for the Komodo dragon, but its main source of food, which is the deer, must also be protected. Although the dragon has an appetite for just about anything, the poaching of the deer limits its source of food. This could cause them to go after livestock and humans thus making it more difficult to convince the locals to allow them to stay. After all "villagers sometimes poison carrion bait to reduce the population, much like the ranchers of the American West poison sheep carcasses to rid the area of coyotes and mountain lions" [3].

The efforts to save these heavy weights of the lizard world are up to us. The question is why should we try to save them? Well the reason is that if we do not try to save them then we would lose one of the legendary creatures that have fed our imaginations with the fire-breathing dragons. Because just like any of the other species on the Endangered Species List the dragon has the right to exist and it has the right to be protected. With the Komodo National Park it is obvious that the governments in Indonesia are making an effort to save the Komodo dragons from extinction. If everyone was to become educated and help educate others about the dragons, and help do what is needed to be done to save them, the lizards may have a fighting chance.

Sources:

(2008). Komodo Dragon. Retrieved Sep. 28, 2008, from http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/komodo-dragon.html

(2004). Komodo Dragon Fact Sheet. Retrieved Sep. 29, 2008, from http://www.komododragon.biz/KomodoDragonFactSheet

Reptiles and Amphibians. Retrieved October 1, 2008, from http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Komododragon.cfm