If you want to conquer the world, you best have dragons.
-GEORGE R. R. MARTIN, A Dance With Dragons
Komodo National Park lies just east of Flores island. Within the park there are 3 major islands (Komodo, Rinca & Padar) and 26 islets and atolls. The Komodo dragon is only found in this small region and Komodo National Park is now a world heritage site.
The Komodo dragon is the largest species of lizard. They are cannibals, loners and bad parents. The eat their young and each other if times get hard…or not. They lay in wait and attack by surprise. They can take down a water buffalo and will scavage it down to nothing in a blink of an eye. So pretty much they are the badasses.
We are at Rinca Island…within the National Park. Oddly enough, you are more likely to see dragons here than their name sake…Komodo Island. There are also deer, water buffalo, monkeys and numerous bird species.Â
We went into the park early AM, as we heard they were most vicious then…I am not sure about the vicious bit…but we saw a boat load of them…both hanging around the cook tent and in the wild.
Here are some photos:
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- Dragons at the cook shack
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- What is a group or dragons called?
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- Dragon trails
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- Out for a morning stroll
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- Dragons in the mist
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- Dragon tracks
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- Crazy trees in this park
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- Guinea fowl
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- What?
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- Look at those teeth!!!
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- Macaque monkey
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- Beach monkeys!
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- Mama guarding her nest
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- View from the top
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- Down into the bay
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- Vista from the top
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- More vista
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- Young Water Buffalo taken down by a dragon
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- Macaque monkey
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- One little monkey sitting on a beach…
We took the “long” hike…which was only 1.5 hours. It started in the forets and peak out on a ridge then back into the forest. We saw tons of wild life. All in all, a great experience!
That is all…
The end…
Never knew about Komodo Dragons – thanks for the lesson!