There Be Dragons

Komodo Dragons, to be exact.  Komodo Island is home to about 2000 people and almost 1500 of these largest  reptiles.  They are extremely venomous, so we were warned about getting too close to them. 

Our greeting party, all 15 feet of him (or her)

This 1 year old is only 4 feet long

They also have no qualms about eating smaller Komodo Dragons, so as soon as the eggs hatch, the young climb up into trees and eat bugs, birds and other small prey until they feel safe on the ground.  Unfortunately for them, some of them come down too soon.

Although they appear to be clumsy and incapable of attacking, they can move quickly when hungry and hunting the deer or wild pigs which share the island.  One bite is all it takes.  Then the injured animal runs off and slowly dies.  The Komodo Dragon will follow and wait until the animal dies before taking his time to eat it.  If another Dragon wants a free meal, the first will attack it and sometimes the fight will leave one of them dead (and probably eaten by another of its kind.)  

We were warned about the dragon's sense of smell.  That forked white tongue is over a foot long, and that is how they "smell."  It is possible for them to detect the smell of blood for over 2 kilometers.  No one is allowed on the island without being in a group with at least 2 guides.  We had to stay on the paths and give the right of way to any wandering dragons.  Our guides were armed to protect us from these monsters.

Notice his only weapon!

As in the other islands we have visited, the heat and humidity took a tole on some of the guests, especially if they did not keep hydrated.  It is a matter of balancing the need to hydrate with a lack of bathrooms..  One woman collapsed and had to be taken back in a stretcher.  The path was rocky with many exposed roots and a few fallen trees to cross.  In spite of all of this, the jungle can be beautiful.

Orchids growing in the trees