We’ve ticked off another bucket list item in spectacular style. Garry and I have finally seen Komodo Dragons in the wild, and what an encounter it was. I think this post’s opening image speaks for itself..!
We landed on Komodo Island shortly after 9:00am on Saturday. Earlier that morning, I’d climbed Pandar Island to watch the sun rise. The experience was pure Instagram fodder, so anything that followed would be hard to beat. However, Komodo Island didn’t disappoint.
Two local rangers greeted us as we entered the National Park, armed with little more than forked sticks. They took us on a trek into the forest for about a kilometre before we came upon a waterhole shaded by several large trees. In front of us lay an enormous Komodo Dragon resting in the shade. We’d seen our first full-grown dragon, one of only 1,380 adults left in the wild.
However, what came next was truly breathtaking. The ranger pointed out two, even larger creatures nearby, and a fourth, even more massive beast lurking in the bushes. We couldn’t believe our eyes. In a matter of minutes, we’d encountered four adult dragons. The ranger explained that it was near the end of the dry season. The island had also had a very mild wet season. As a result, Komodo Dragons spend more time near water sources around the island.
The dragons were magnificent. Apparently, a fully grown male can measure more than three metres in length and weigh up to 110kg. The beast we were photographed with was close to this size and scale. One of the males we encountered briefly got up for a stroll, hissed dramatically before calling it a day, and slumped under a shady tree. Garry couldn’t believe how close we got to them. Neither could I. Like most cold-blooded creatures, as long as we kept our distance, they were content to lie around soaking up the morning sun.
On our way back to the boat. we encountered two female dragons. The ranger told us they’re more active than the males. He was right. As we watched, one of them delivered a superb display of Komodo Dragons in action. She wandered across the path ahead of us, strode through the forest, and finally settled into an iconic pose, with her head held high. It was National Geographic stuff through and through.
All in all, we encountered six dragons on Komodo Island. Our guide told us this was an unusually high tally. Most days, visitors see only one or two of these creatures, occasionally none. Before returning to the boat, Garry and I briefly wandered through a shoreline market by the wharf. Eventually we bought a nifty little carved wooden dragon for our growing kitsch collection. I'd have to put this wildlife encounter up there with the Leatherback Turtle that Mum and I saw in Africa more than
a decade ago.
I'm also pleased to say that we never experienced any of the dubious conduct I've read about online. That is, stories of rangers provoking dragons to move in a dramatic, aggressive manner. Our rangers were incredibly respectful and surprisingly protective of the creatures we encountered. Thank goodness for that. According to the Smithsonian Institution, a Komodo Dragon's strong jaws can snap a man's leg in two.
No comments:
Post a Comment