This time, I want to tell you about “Komodo Island”, the new 7th wonder of the world. Any time you plan to go to Indonesia, you also have to consider going to Komodo Island not Bali Island only. The island is part of Komodo National Park and also it is the ancient area of komodo dragons. In addition, it is an excellent and popular diving location.
Komodo is one of the 17,508 islands that make up the Republic of Indonesia. The island has a surface area of 390 km² and over 2000 inhabitants. The inhabitants of the island are descendants of former convicts who were exiled to the island and who have mixed themselves with the Bugis from Sulawesi. The population are primarily adherents of Islam but there are also Christian and Hindu minorities.
Komodo is part of the Lesser Sunda chain of islands and forms part of the Komodo National Park. Particularly notable here is the native Komodo dragon. In addition, the island is a popular destination for diving. Administratively, it is part of the East Nusa Tenggara province.
It is considered as one of the New7Wonders of Nature, together with the Amazonia, Halong Bay, Iguazu Falls, Jeju Island, Table Mountain, and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River since November 11, 2011
The earliest stories of a dragon existing in the region circulated widely and attracted considerable attention. But no one visited the island to check the story until official interest was sparked in the early 1910s by stories from Dutch sailors based in Flores about a mysterious creature. The creature was allegedly a "dragon" which inhabited a small island in the Lesser Sunda Islands (the main island of which is Flores in East Nusa Tenggara).
The Dutch sailors reported that the creature measured up to seven meters in length with a large body and mouth which constantly spat fire. Hearing the reports, Lieutenant Steyn van Hensbroek, an official of the Dutch Colonial Administration in Flores, planned a trip to Komodo Island. He armed himself, and accompanied by a team of soldiers he landed on the island. After a few days, Hensbroek managed to kill one of the strange animals.
Van Hensbroek took the animal to headquarters where measurements were taken. It was approximately 2.1 meters long, with a shape very similar to that of a lizard. More samples were then photographed by Peter A. Ouwens, the Director of the Zoological Museum and Botanical Gardens in Bogor, Java. The records that Ouwens made are the first reliable documentation of details about what is now called the Komodo dragon or Komodo monitor.
Ouwens was keen to obtain additional samples. He recruited hunters who killed two dragons measuring 3.1 meters and 3.35 meters as well as capturing two pups, each measuring less than one meter. Ouwens carried out studies on the samples and concluded that the komodo dragon was not a flamethrower but was a type of monitor lizard monitor lizard. Research results were published in 1912. Ouwens named the giant lizard Varanus komodoensis, more commonly known as a Komodo Dragon. Realizing the significance of the dragons on Komodo Island as an endangered species, the Dutch government issued a regulation on the protection of Komodos on Komodo Island in 1915.
The komodo dragon became something of a living legend In the decades since the Komodo was discovered, various scientific expeditions from a range of countries have carried out field research on the dragons on Komodo Island.
Komodo National Park was established in 1980 and was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1986. The park was initially established to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), first discovered by the scientific world in 1911 by J.K.H. Van Steyn. Since then conservation goals have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial.
The majority of the people in and around the Park are fishermen originally from Bima (Sumbawa), Manggarai, South Flores, and South Sulawesi. Those from South Sulawesi are from the Suku Bajau or Bugis ethnic groups. The Suku Bajau were originally nomadic and moved from location to location in the region of Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara and Maluku, to make their livelihoods. Descendents of the original people of Komodo, the Ata Modo, still live in Komodo, but there are no pure blood people left and their culture and language is slowly being integrated with the recent migrants.
Little is known of the early history of the Komodo islanders. They were subjects of the Sultanate of Bima, although the island’s remoteness from Bima meant its affairs were probably little troubled by the Sultanate other than by occasional demand for tribute.
Location
Komodo lies between the substantially larger neighboring islands Sumbawa to the west and Flores to the east.
Komodo National Park lies in the Wallacea Region of Indonesia, identified by WWF and Conservation International as a global conservation priority area. The Park is located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores at the border of the Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) and Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTP) provinces. It includes three major islands, Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and numerous smaller islands together totaling 603 km2 of land. The total size of Komodo National Park is presently 1,817 km2. Proposed extensions of 25 km2 of land (Banta Island) and 479 km2 of marine waters would bring the total surface area up to 2,321 km2.
There are presently almost 4,000 inhabitants living within the park spread out over four settlements (Komodo, Rinca, Kerora, and Papagaran). All villages existed prior to 1980 before the area was declared a national park. In 1928 there were only 30 people living in Komodo Village, and approximately 250 people on Rinca Island in 1930. The population increased rapidly, and by 1999, there were 281 families numbering 1,169 people on Komodo, meaning that the local population had increased exponentially. Komodo Village has had the highest population increase of the villages within the Park, mostly due to migration by people from Sape, Manggarai, Madura, and South Sulawesi. The number of buildings in Kampung Komodo has increased rapidly from 30 houses in 1958, to 194 houses in 1994, and 270 houses in 2000. Papagaran village is similar in size, with 258 families totaling 1,078 people. As of 1999, Rinca’s population was 835, and Kerora's population was 185 people. The total population currently living in the Park is 3,267 people, while 16,816 people live in the area immediately surrounding the Park.
The average level of education in the villages of Komodo National Park is grade four of elementary school. There is an elementary school located in each of the villages, but new students are not recruited each year. On average, each village has four classes and four teachers. Most of the children from the small islands in the Kecamatan Komodo (Komodo, Rinca, Kerora, Papagaran, Mesa) do not finish elementary school. Less than 10% of those which do graduate from elementary school will continue to high school since the major economic opportunity (fishing) does not require further education. Children must be sent to Labuan Bajo to attend high school, but this is rarely done in fishermen’s families.
Most of the villages located in and around the Park have few fresh water facilities available, if any, particularly during the dry season. Water quality declines during this time period and many people become ill. Malaria and diarrhea are rampant in the area. On Mesa island, with a population of around 1,500 people, there is no fresh water available. Fresh water is brought by boat in jerrycans from Labuan Bajo. Each family needs an average of Rp 100,000.- per month to buy fresh water (2000). Almost every village has a local medical facility with staff, and at least a paramedic. The quality of medical care facilities is low.
Traditional Customs: Traditional communities in Komodo, Flores and Sumbawa have been subjected to outside influences and the influence of traditional customs is dwindling. Television, radio, and increased mobility have all played a part in accelerating the rate of change. There has been a steady influx of migrants into the area. At the moment nearly all villages consist of more than one ethnic group.
Religion: The majority of fishermen living in the villages in the vicinity of the Park are Muslims. Hajis have a strong influence in the dynamics of community development. Fishermen hailing from South Sulawesi (Bajau, Bugis) and Bima are mostly Moslems. The community from Manggarai are mostly Christians.
Anthropology and Language: There are several cultural sites within the Park, particularly on Komodo Island. These sites are not well documented, however, and there are many questions concerning the history of human inhabitance on the island. Outside the Park, in Warloka village on Flores, there is a Chinese trading post remnant of some interest. Archeological finds from this site have been looted in the recent past. Most communities in and around the Park can speak Bahasa Indonesia. Bajo language is the language used for daily communication in most communities.
Topography: The topography is varied, with slopes from 0 – 80%. There is little flat ground, and that is generally located near the beach. The altitude varies from sea level to 735 m above sea level. The highest peak is Gunung Satalibo on Komodo Island.
Geology: The islands in Komodo National Park are volcanic in origin. The area is at the juncture of two continental plates: Sahul and Sunda. The friction of these two plates has led to large volcanic eruptions and caused the up-thrusting of coral reefs. Although there are no active volcanoes in the park, tremors from Gili Banta (last eruption 1957) and Gunung Sangeang Api (last eruption 1996) are common. West Komodo probably formed during the Jurasic era approximately 130 million years ago. East Komodo, Rinca, and Padar probably formed approximately 49 million years ago during the Eocene era.
Climate: Komodo National Park has little or no rainfall for approximately 8 months of the year, and is strongly impacted by monsoonal rains. High humidity levels year round are only found in the quasi-cloud forests on mountain tops and ridges. Temperatures generally range from 170C to 340C, with an average humidity level of 36%. From November through March the wind is from the west and causes large waves that hit the entire length of Komodo island’s west beach. From April through October the wind is dry and large waves hit the south beaches of Rinca and Komodo islands.
The terrestrial ecosystems are strongly affected by the climate: a lengthy dry season with high temperatures and low rainfall, and seasonal monsoon rains. The Park is situated in a transition zone between Australian and Asian flora and fauna. Terrestrial ecosystems include open grass-woodland savanna, tropical deciduous (monsoon) forest, and quasi cloud forest.
Due to the dry climate, terrestrial plant species richness is relatively low. The majority of terrestrial species are xerophytic and have specific adaptations to help them obtain and retain water. Past fires have selected for species that are fire-adapted, such as some grass species and shrubs. Terrestrial plants found in Komodo National Park include grasses, shrubs, orchids, and trees. Important food tree species for the local fauna include Jatropha curkas, Zizyphus sp., Opuntia sp., Tamarindus indicus, Borassus flabellifer, Sterculia foetida, Ficus sp., Cicus sp., ‘Kedongdong hutan’ (Saruga floribunda), and ‘Kesambi’ (Schleichera oleosa).
The marine area constitutes 67% of the Park. The open waters in the Park are between 100 and 200 m deep. The straits between Rinca and Flores and between Padar and Rinca, are relatively shallow (30 to 70 m deep), with strong tidal currents. The combination of strong currents, coral reefs and islets make navigation around the islands in Komodo National Park difficult and dangerous. Sheltered deep anchorage is available at the bay of Loh Liang on Komodo’s east coast, the South East coast of Padar, and the bays of Loh Kima and Loh Dasami on Rinca.
In the North of the Park water temperature ranges between 25 – 29°C. In the middle, the temperature ranges between 24 and 28°C. The temperatures are lowest in the South, ranging from 22 – 28°C. Water salinity is about 34 ppt and the water is quite clear, although the waters closer to the islands are relatively more turbid.
Indonesia is the only equatorial region in the world where there is an exchange of marine flora and fauna between the Indian and Pacific oceans. Passages in Nusa Tenggara (formerly the Lesser Sunda Islands) between the Sunda and Sahul shelves allow movement between the Pacific and Indian oceans. The three main ecosystems in Komodo National Park are seagrass beds, coral reefs, and mangrove forests. The Park is probably a regular cetacean migration route.
Fauna
The island is famous not only for its heritage of convicts but also for the unique fauna which roam it. The Komodo dragon, the world's largest living lizard, takes its name from the island. A type of monitor lizard, it inhabits Komodo and some of the smaller surrounding islands, as well as part of western Flores.
The Komodo Dragon is referred to by the residents of Indonesia as the ora. Although only two islands of Indonesia house these mighty reptiles, they used to be present in Australia not too long ago. The Australian version of the ora was much larger and more dangerous that the modern dragon, but is extinct now. Even so, these smaller versions that exist today are pretty big. The largest ever measured was 10 feet, 2.5 inches. He, or rather she (a male who was unfortunately named "Minnie") was put on display in St. Louis during the 30's. Some villagers in Komodo Village insist that a dragon 30 feet long comes through their town, and more believable reports by the villagers of 3.5 meter dragons (about 11 feet) have been heard of. Not regarding these claims of bigger beasts, "Minnie" (or "Mickey", as he should have been called) is the largest ora found to date. Now, as an endangered species, few dragons live in zoos or are put on display (with the exception of foreign countries. The Indonesian island of Bali has a captured dragon on display for all to see). However, there was a time when the ora was in serious danger of extinction.
The Komodo Dragon was discovered in the age of the first world war, when a pilot crashed his plane in the Indonesian waters. He was able to swim to the shore of a nearby island, which we found was inhabited by giant monsters. Luckily, he was able to radio home and was rescued. When he first told his stories of the "giant reptiles" that lived on the island, no one believed him (of course). Later, his reports were confirmed by another expedition by a man interested in the stories of the dragons told by the pilot.
The Indonesians always new about the oras on the island, however. They exiled all of their public outcasts to this island, knowing of the dangers they would face (and, their ultimate demise) on the island. However, the people set up a small settlement which is still around today. Known fondly as "Komodo Village", this Muslim town derives most of its money from tourists and fishing (for fish, Mother of Pearl, etc.).
There isn't a lot to see at the island; there is a mosque, the streets are dirt, and a small school gives the 400-500 local children a decent education. The best way to describe the town is pretty much as a small village, which coincidentally lies on the edge of an extraordinary island, which is about as poor as poor is; but nobody is starving or hungry.
The Near Extinction and Protection of the Ora
It is a well known fact that in the history of the world, Europeans enjoyed taking over countries, hunting wild animals to the brink of extinction for sport, and becoming a general annoyance to everyone. When the Dutch were in Indonesia, it was suggested that oras be used for handbags, purses, exotic meals, and hunting trophies. The last of the two, all thought they did not take as many animals, were in effect until the 1930's or later. Fortunately for the dragons, their skin is not good for tanning. It cracks, breaks, and put quite frankly, makes an ugly purse. And so the oras were not used for purses and spared extinction. However, dragons were killed by the rich Dutch who had the money to go down to Komodo and kill them. And so about 600 a year were taken, until a law went into effect saying that only 5 dragons could be taken in a year. The Dutch recognized this animal as a valuable ecological predator and set up laws protecting it. Now, the same rules applies; and although there isn't a lot of demand for ora hunting, those who want to do it are usually discouraged. Intimidated by the fact that one has to go to the government, fill out forms, get the blessings of the President, the Sultans, and so on.
Now the dragons are protected for another reason than the one the Dutch had when they made their laws. The Indonesians could care less about protecting animal life. I have been to places in Java where you can buy stuffed cobras attacking rare birds (also stuffed) for relatively cheap prices. These people could theoretically exterminate any species without remorse. But not this one. Because money is such a valuable resource over there, and the oras are so popular with the tourists, the people of Indonesia would be idiots to make them defunct. If they did, they would see thousands of tourists and tourist dollars float away before their eyes. So the dragons are too valuable economically to kill off. This has some good and bad points. The good part was mentioned above; we will probably have wild oras around for a long time.
It is a well known fact that in the history of the world, Europeans enjoyed taking over countries, hunting wild animals to the brink of extinction for sport, and becoming a general annoyance to everyone. When the Dutch were in Indonesia, it was suggested that oras be used for handbags, purses, exotic meals, and hunting trophies. The last of the two, all thought they did not take as many animals, were in effect until the 1930's or later. Fortunately for the dragons, their skin is not good for tanning. It cracks, breaks, and put quite frankly, makes an ugly purse. And so the oras were not used for purses and spared extinction. However, dragons were killed by the rich Dutch who had the money to go down to Komodo and kill them. And so about 600 a year were taken, until a law went into effect saying that only 5 dragons could be taken in a year. The Dutch recognized this animal as a valuable ecological predator and set up laws protecting it. Now, the same rules applies; and although there isn't a lot of demand for ora hunting, those who want to do it are usually discouraged. Intimidated by the fact that one has to go to the government, fill out forms, get the blessings of the President, the Sultans, and so on.
Now the dragons are protected for another reason than the one the Dutch had when they made their laws. The Indonesians could care less about protecting animal life. I have been to places in Java where you can buy stuffed cobras attacking rare birds (also stuffed) for relatively cheap prices. These people could theoretically exterminate any species without remorse. But not this one. Because money is such a valuable resource over there, and the oras are so popular with the tourists, the people of Indonesia would be idiots to make them defunct. If they did, they would see thousands of tourists and tourist dollars float away before their eyes. So the dragons are too valuable economically to kill off. This has some good and bad points. The good part was mentioned above; we will probably have wild oras around for a long time.
The Tourist Version of the Ora
The bad part is that the money here comes from tourists, and tourists, aside from making Komodo Island a side-show, have a greater impact. Let's just say that when most people go halfway around the world to see the largest, smartest reptile, they don't want to fall victim to it. The last dragon casualty was in 1973, and the rangers have done a pretty good job of keeping people safe. With the exception of a dragon eating a little girl on the outskirts of Komodo Village, the dragons are pretty much domesticated. The average tourist can walk right up to them and get an exotic picture of an ora sunning itself. These dragons are calmed, their wild side appeased by the rangers of the park. They are fed deer to keep them calmed and prevent any more accidents, which would destroy the image of the park. The feedings are also at a certain spot, so when a guide takes a group of tourists there, they are assured that there are dragons there, waiting for their meal. The meal used to be a goat tossed in a pit in front of tourists, but now it is done in private. So unfortunately, the dragons that visitors see are rarely the wild ones.
The bad part is that the money here comes from tourists, and tourists, aside from making Komodo Island a side-show, have a greater impact. Let's just say that when most people go halfway around the world to see the largest, smartest reptile, they don't want to fall victim to it. The last dragon casualty was in 1973, and the rangers have done a pretty good job of keeping people safe. With the exception of a dragon eating a little girl on the outskirts of Komodo Village, the dragons are pretty much domesticated. The average tourist can walk right up to them and get an exotic picture of an ora sunning itself. These dragons are calmed, their wild side appeased by the rangers of the park. They are fed deer to keep them calmed and prevent any more accidents, which would destroy the image of the park. The feedings are also at a certain spot, so when a guide takes a group of tourists there, they are assured that there are dragons there, waiting for their meal. The meal used to be a goat tossed in a pit in front of tourists, but now it is done in private. So unfortunately, the dragons that visitors see are rarely the wild ones.
The Ugly Side of the Ora
The dragon has gone through several changes during the last couple decades. One of them has been, as mentioned above, the semi-domestication of this animal. However, they were not always that way, which makes for some pretty good stories about dragons attacks, casualties, close calls, and so on. Since these are interesting (and sort of creepy) I will share some of the ones I know in this section. Note: You know how these type of stories are. They are handed down from one person to the next, each time a slight change or an element added. So just keep in mind that what you are reading below was passed down through several people, and a "tall tale" may be present.
In 1973, a Swiss tourist and a guide were hiking through Komodo island. He was an elderly man, and for a few thousand rupiah (no more than a few dollars) he could hire a personal guide to take him through the park. The hike was going fine, and no dragons sighted yet, but they continued. On part of the hike, the man fell and injured his knee/ankle on a rock during the fall.
The guide stopped, looked at the wound, and ran down the mountain to get help. This was the big mistake. I really don't know what the guide should have done, but when he took off down the mountain, the man was in trouble.
Oras have an incredible sense of smell. They are able to smell things very far away and reach the scent as quickly as possible. When they arrive at a fresh kill, they are able to consume half of their body weight in 20 minutes. Their deadly saliva and hinged jaws, like those found in an egg eating snake, enable them to consume prey as quickly as possible. So unfortunately, when the guide came back to the spot were the man fell, they (him and the 'rescue team') found only a backpack and a puddle of blood.
That was the last tourist casualty by a dragon to date. Although, a few years ago, a small girl was dragged away by a dragon while she was playing on the outskirts of Komodo Village. The dragons of Komodo island are also said to be a bit more edgy during the course of the last year or so, a symptom indirectly related to humans. The most visited area of the island used to be a feeding center, now defunct. Tourists could go inside a caged area for protection from the dragons. It used to be set up so that one could "buy" some food for the oras. This usually involved a transfer of what would seem like a small amount of money to a tourist, who would purchase a deer killed by the locals. The dead deer was then tossed into a pit where the dragons would get a free meal without working. Visitors from the rim would keep camcorders and cameras running, capturing this gruesome spectacle on film. as you can see, this situation would anyone who loved the Disney movie Bambi scream. So the feeding stopped. The dragons, although still perfectly able to survive in the wild.
We should consider ourselves lucky, though. If, hypothetically, an extinct relative of the ora was still around, tourists visiting Australia would have to cope with a bigger beast. The creature, which was the largest reptile ever to have lived on earth, is known by the genus name of Megalania. The Megalania was twice as long as the ora of today, and at least 5 times as bulky. Living until late Pleistocene times, the Megalania was undoubtedly the chief predator of its time. The Megalania, however, went out with a whimper, a victim of a probable ecological or environmental catastrophe.
The dragon has gone through several changes during the last couple decades. One of them has been, as mentioned above, the semi-domestication of this animal. However, they were not always that way, which makes for some pretty good stories about dragons attacks, casualties, close calls, and so on. Since these are interesting (and sort of creepy) I will share some of the ones I know in this section. Note: You know how these type of stories are. They are handed down from one person to the next, each time a slight change or an element added. So just keep in mind that what you are reading below was passed down through several people, and a "tall tale" may be present.
In 1973, a Swiss tourist and a guide were hiking through Komodo island. He was an elderly man, and for a few thousand rupiah (no more than a few dollars) he could hire a personal guide to take him through the park. The hike was going fine, and no dragons sighted yet, but they continued. On part of the hike, the man fell and injured his knee/ankle on a rock during the fall.
The guide stopped, looked at the wound, and ran down the mountain to get help. This was the big mistake. I really don't know what the guide should have done, but when he took off down the mountain, the man was in trouble.
Oras have an incredible sense of smell. They are able to smell things very far away and reach the scent as quickly as possible. When they arrive at a fresh kill, they are able to consume half of their body weight in 20 minutes. Their deadly saliva and hinged jaws, like those found in an egg eating snake, enable them to consume prey as quickly as possible. So unfortunately, when the guide came back to the spot were the man fell, they (him and the 'rescue team') found only a backpack and a puddle of blood.
That was the last tourist casualty by a dragon to date. Although, a few years ago, a small girl was dragged away by a dragon while she was playing on the outskirts of Komodo Village. The dragons of Komodo island are also said to be a bit more edgy during the course of the last year or so, a symptom indirectly related to humans. The most visited area of the island used to be a feeding center, now defunct. Tourists could go inside a caged area for protection from the dragons. It used to be set up so that one could "buy" some food for the oras. This usually involved a transfer of what would seem like a small amount of money to a tourist, who would purchase a deer killed by the locals. The dead deer was then tossed into a pit where the dragons would get a free meal without working. Visitors from the rim would keep camcorders and cameras running, capturing this gruesome spectacle on film. as you can see, this situation would anyone who loved the Disney movie Bambi scream. So the feeding stopped. The dragons, although still perfectly able to survive in the wild.
We should consider ourselves lucky, though. If, hypothetically, an extinct relative of the ora was still around, tourists visiting Australia would have to cope with a bigger beast. The creature, which was the largest reptile ever to have lived on earth, is known by the genus name of Megalania. The Megalania was twice as long as the ora of today, and at least 5 times as bulky. Living until late Pleistocene times, the Megalania was undoubtedly the chief predator of its time. The Megalania, however, went out with a whimper, a victim of a probable ecological or environmental catastrophe.
The Hard Facts (and some widely distributed myths)
Being the king of the mountain sometimes isn't enough. So let me warn you here, some of the "facts" below may exaggerated slightly.
Dragon facts:
Being the king of the mountain sometimes isn't enough. So let me warn you here, some of the "facts" below may exaggerated slightly.
Dragon facts:
| The largest dragon found and confirmed by science was 10' 2.5''. | |
| The saliva of an ora contains four forms of bacteria with no known antidotes. | |
| The teeth of an ora are arranged so that the maximum amount of flesh can be bitten off and swallowed whole. | |
| An ora can run faster than 15 m.p.h. | |
| Oras smaller that 3' are fully capable to climb trees. | |
| Aside from humans, oras are the only animals that willingly control their population (by way of eating their eggs). | |
| Oras are also cannibals, eating other members of their species. | |
| In ecological disasters [such as a titanic fire] oras have been known to swim to other islands for safety. | |
| Although not confirmed by science, claims are made that the ora is a good swimmer. Some Indonesians refer to the ora as a "water crocodile"; some state that the dragon can travel relatively long distances in water, sometimes diving 12' or more. | |
| Komodo Dragons, or at least their near relatives, have existed since the Jurassic period. In conclusion, the Komodo Dragon is not only the largest reptile in the world, but a very fascinating one. They are a spectacular living example of the biodiversity of our planet, and although are in no current danger, should be preserved in their natural form and temperament for future generations and ecologists to observe. |
Pink Beach
Komodo contains a beach with pink sand, one of only seven in the world. The sand appears pink because it is a mixture of white sand and red sand, formed from pieces of Foraminifera.
It is said that the pink sandy beaches there are only 7 in the world, one of them on the island of Komodo. Pink sand is formed from pieces of red coral. But the truth is a kind of amoeba microscopic animals called Foraminifera which produce red or pink light on the reef. If we take a pinch of sand was then shown a red sand in between the white sand. When the waves sweeping the sand and pull it, then sand the color turned into dark pink. Cool! Grains of sand was smooth and soft, so delicious when walking or sunbathing on it.
Activities at the beach pink other than their pictures taken , can sunbathe, swim, or just ‘leyeh-leyeh’. Enjoyable because it is not crowded and commercial. Swim was refreshing eye. Many hard corals and soft corals are colorful and still healthy. Plus, a rich ornamental fish, such as clown fish (also called Nemo), butterfly fish, and bat fish. Since there is no shop or restaurant, you’d better bring their own supplies, all picnic.
The simplest way to achieve it by flying from Bali to Labuan Bajo, then hire a speedboat or a fishing boat from Labuan Bajo to Komodo Island. Before you get to the Pink Beach, stop for trekking to see wild Komodo dragons live in Loh Liang. For fans of scuba diving, underwater nature unusually good. You can follow the dive trip through the Dive Operators in Labuan Bajo.
250 Coral Species Make Komodo Island a Beautiful Site
Two hundreds and fifty species of coral make Komodo Island beautiful, colourful and keep the biodiversity in balance. They also make the waters colourful, enjoyable and most fascinating waters on Earth. Here, Komodo National Park has many tourism attractions.
Komodo is one of the beautiful islands in Indonesia. It spreads to 390 square kilometres and there are 2000 people living there. The island is one of the medium size islands in Indonesia, but it is one of the important and beautiful islands. There are more than 69 islands bigger than Komodo.
The following short article is about this island. However, if you know more information about it or any other island in Indonesia, please use the form at the bottom of the page to share it. This is also an invitation to Indonesians to write about their islands and upload pictures too. Many thanks.
Komodo is one of the beautiful islands in Indonesia. It spreads to 390 square kilometres and there are 2000 people living there. The island is one of the medium size islands in Indonesia, but it is one of the important and beautiful islands. There are more than 69 islands bigger than Komodo.
The following short article is about this island. However, if you know more information about it or any other island in Indonesia, please use the form at the bottom of the page to share it. This is also an invitation to Indonesians to write about their islands and upload pictures too. Many thanks.
The biggest islands are the shared New Guinea and Borneo islands. However, Sumatra is the largest island in the country, which built up of more than 17,000 islands officially estimated by the government of Indonesia. Nevertheless, some sources say there are 17,508 islands that make the Republic of Indonesia.
The sea surrounding Komodo Island and the other neighbouring islands in this area in Indonesia provides some of the world's best diving spots. It colours the area by its spectacular unspoiled coral reefs and shoals of fish of all kinds, shapes and sizes together bursting with orgy of colour.
Komodo National Park stretches to cover 1,817 square kilometres in this area in Indonesia and includes Komodo Island, Rinca Island, Padar Island and other small islands.
It started in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragons that stroll around these rugged islands. Komodo dragon is the world's largest lizard and can be three metres long and weigh over seventy kilograms.
Since the park's creation, it has been determined that the park must protect the entire terrestrial and marine's biodiversity, and in 1986, the park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The manifold underwater life of the sea around Komodo is a result of the strong currents and the warm tropical waters from Flores Sea, which mixes with cold currents from the Indian Ocean.
The stable, cold water temperatures between 24º and 28º C gives the 250 coral species that thrive in these waters, optimal conditions.
Corals form an indispensable part of the ecosystem and provide habitat for nearly thousand species of fish, whale sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, blue-ringed octopus, pygmy seahorses and sea turtles. This makes the waters around Komodo one of the most fascinating waters on Earth.
Climate change will almost bring this unique natural beauty out of balance. On the islands, rising sea levels threaten to flood and destroy mangrove forests and the beaches where sea turtles nest.
The ever-increasing acidification and rising surface temperatures in the sea may eventually kill the coral. The loss of the coral will have a negative impact on all marine life, in addition to affecting coastal protection of the islands. All this could result in an immense loss of beauty and natural diversity in Komodo Island.
The sea surrounding Komodo Island and the other neighbouring islands in this area in Indonesia provides some of the world's best diving spots. It colours the area by its spectacular unspoiled coral reefs and shoals of fish of all kinds, shapes and sizes together bursting with orgy of colour.
Komodo National Park stretches to cover 1,817 square kilometres in this area in Indonesia and includes Komodo Island, Rinca Island, Padar Island and other small islands.
It started in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragons that stroll around these rugged islands. Komodo dragon is the world's largest lizard and can be three metres long and weigh over seventy kilograms.
Since the park's creation, it has been determined that the park must protect the entire terrestrial and marine's biodiversity, and in 1986, the park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The manifold underwater life of the sea around Komodo is a result of the strong currents and the warm tropical waters from Flores Sea, which mixes with cold currents from the Indian Ocean.
The stable, cold water temperatures between 24º and 28º C gives the 250 coral species that thrive in these waters, optimal conditions.
Corals form an indispensable part of the ecosystem and provide habitat for nearly thousand species of fish, whale sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, blue-ringed octopus, pygmy seahorses and sea turtles. This makes the waters around Komodo one of the most fascinating waters on Earth.
Climate change will almost bring this unique natural beauty out of balance. On the islands, rising sea levels threaten to flood and destroy mangrove forests and the beaches where sea turtles nest.
The ever-increasing acidification and rising surface temperatures in the sea may eventually kill the coral. The loss of the coral will have a negative impact on all marine life, in addition to affecting coastal protection of the islands. All this could result in an immense loss of beauty and natural diversity in Komodo Island.
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