3 - Komodo Dragons on Rinca

 The island of Rinca is one of two islands that are home to 3000  Komodo dragons in Komodo National Park (670 sq. miles).  Komodos are the largest lizard in the world.  They do not live in the wild anywhere else.  So seeing the dragons today was special. Warning - if you have open sores don't go.  The dragons are highly sensitive to the smell of a carnivorous meal.   Not kidding. Adults eat the small Komodos.   The dragons are solitare individuals, for life and for hunting too. They are at the top of the food chain and have no predators and will eat all lower animals : deer, buffalo, wild pigs, birds, etc.  A female lays eggs and buries them, and doesn't come back, ever, not even to care for the young.  The young hatch (after 9 months) and climb into treetops to live 2-3 years, finding small meaty food.  Adult Komodos do not climb trees so the young are safe.  Here is a full grown male (upto 10 feet long and 150 lbs).

The locals take every opportunity to sell their wares to tourists.  This boat came up next to the Mars, offering to toss miniature toy dragons up to guests, for a fee. Viking quickly chased them away.

                                      

                                             Scientists tag and track the size of the dragons.

                            The remains left behind after a dragon has eaten, i.e. the skull of a buffalo.

                        Skeletons of adult male and female dragons. Showing size difference.

This one is about 3 years old.

                                                    This one is probably 20 years old.

Our entire tour was on a raised platforms - to keep the area environmentally protected. Today we saw about 6 of the 1300 dragons on the island.  Each tour group had one hour on the island.  It was very hot and humid, one hour was enough.  At the end, our guide looked at Phil and said 'you look like a movie...'  Another Bruce Willis look alike comment.  Who would have guessed on remote Rinca island! Here is Bruce, oh I mean Phil.

Dragons will fight each other, over food or two males will fight over a female.  There are 3 males for every female.  This statue is at the entrance to the National Park.

Tomorrow is our first full day at sea.  Maybe I'll focus on food!  If that's not interesting, I may take a day off from Blogging.  We'll see.