Komodo Island, Indonesia

Komodo is one of over 17,000 islands that make up the Republic of Indonesia, north of Australia.  Its climate is tropical (hot and humid) and the landscape is dense jungle and small hills. Komodo is famous for the "dragons" that inhabit the island.  They are the largest living lizards, growing to 9 feet long and weighing up to 200 pounds.  There are 1377 of these reptiles on Komodo Island and over 1500 on nearby Rinca Island.

Komodos have a well-developed sense of smell and their long, forked yellow tongue resembles the mythical, fire-breathing dragons of their name.  These lizards are cold-blooded, mate during June and July and then females lay their eggs in nests made of mounded dirt.  The eggs gestate for 8-9 months, then the babies hatch from the eggs. Sadly, only about 10% of the babies born survive to adulthood.  Newborn komodo dragons are at risk of being eaten by predators, so they climb into the trees and eat insects for the next 3 years while they mature.  The parents do NOT take care of their young, in fact, sometimes they eat them!  Komodo dragons start to mate when they are 7-8 years old and can live as long as humans, 70-100 years. 

adult Komodo dragons (lizards)

a juvenile Komodo dragon

some type of dove

blooming orchid on Komodo Island

group of adults at the "feeding grounds"

a view of Komodo Island from our anchored ship