tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25852595017471210322024-02-06T21:37:08.457-08:00Comodo IslandTraveling to Comodo Island, i assume you like to see the dragons. (LC)Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-51451939352224172952012-12-12T06:25:00.000-08:002019-10-15T02:17:07.007-07:00The Komodo dragon<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Pulau Komodo (<b>ComodoIsland</b>) - The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is a venomous species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia.[3] A member of the monitor lizard family (Varanidae), it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to an average length of 2 to 3 metres (6.6 to 9.8 ft) and weighing around 70 kilograms (150 lb). Their unusual size is attributed to island gigantism, since there are no other carnivorous animals to fill the niche on the islands where they live, and also to the Komodo dragon's low metabolic rate.[4][5] As a result of their size, these lizards dominate the ecosystems in which they live.[6] Although Komodo dragons eat mostly carrion, they will also hunt and ambush prey including invertebrates, birds, and mammals.<br />
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Mating begins between May and August, and the eggs are laid in September. About twenty eggs are deposited in abandoned megapode nests and incubated for seven to eight months, hatching in April, when insects are most plentiful. Young Komodo dragons are vulnerable and therefore dwell in trees, safe from predators and cannibalistic adults. They take around three to five years to mature, and may live as long as fifty years. They are among the rare vertebrates capable of parthenogenesis, in which females may lay viable eggs if males are absent.</div>
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<span class="fullpost"><br />Komodo dragons were discovered by Western scientists in 1910. Their large size and fearsome reputation make them popular zoo exhibits. In the wild their range has contracted due to human activities and they are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. They are protected under Indonesian law, and a national park, Komodo National Park, was founded to aid protection efforts.<br /><br />Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo_dragon</span></div>
Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-83587491006345825372009-08-03T01:19:00.000-07:002019-10-15T17:07:17.536-07:00Komodo ( land crocodile )<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pulau Komodo (<b>ComodoIsland</b>) - as befits any creature evoking a mythological beast, has many names. It is also the Komodo monitor, being a member of the monitor lizard family, Varanidae, which today has one genus, Varanus. Residents of the island of Komodo call it the ora. Among some on Komodo and the islands of Rinca and Flores, it is buaya darat (land crocodile), a name that is descriptive but inaccurate; monitors are not crocodilians.<br />
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Others call it biawak raksasa (giant monitor), which is quite correct; it ranks as the largest of the monitor lizards, a necessary logical consequence of its standing as the largest lizard of any kind now living on the earth…. Within the scientific community, the dragon is Varanus komodoensis. And most everyone calls it simply the Komodo.” Claudio Ciofi
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<span class="fullpost">The Komodo dragon is an ancient species whose ancestors date back over 100 million years. The varanid genus originated between 25 and 40 million years ago in Asia. The Komodo descended from this species and evolved to its present form over four million years ago.( More info )<br /><br />KOMODO NATIONAL PARK<br />LOCATION :<br />Komodo National Park lies in the Wallacea Region of Indonesia, identified by WWF and Conservation International as a global conservation priority area. The Park is located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores at the border of the Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) and Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTP) provinces. It includes three major islands, Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and numerous smaller islands together totaling 603 km2 of land. The total size of Komodo National Park is presently 1,817 km2. Proposed extensions of 25 km2 of land (Banta Island) and 479 km2 of marine waters would bring the total surface area up to 2,321 km2<br /><br />HISTORY :<br />Komodo National Park was established in 1980 and was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1986. The park was initially established to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), first discovered by the scientific world in 1911 by J.K.H. Van Steyn. Since then conservation goals have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial. ( More Inf o )<br /><br />Source : http://www.komodoisland-tours.com/</span><br />
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Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-68719017916515641022009-03-12T20:01:00.000-07:002019-10-15T02:18:56.864-07:00Komodo, Dragons and Jurassic Gyroscopes<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Pulau Komodo (<b>ComodoIsland</b>) - By Kevin Alexandra - Diving and Liveaboard in Komodo is different underwater adventure. You will find Jurassic world, the lost world you can found. Before diving and liveaboards, you must know Komodo biological riches.</div>
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<span class="fullpost"><br />Diving Komodo is like stepping on a Jurassic gyroscope - tilting and spinning at uncontrollable speeds. There are time when guest have been perched in a 2-knot current, holding on for dear life, mouth pieces vibrating, watching a halimeda ghost pipe fish while their buddy gesticulates wildly, trying to gain their attention to point out a hovering manta ray. Dives like this are common - it is hard to know where to look and what to focus on. Welcome to Komodo.</span><br />
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Komodo as well as the other islands between Sumbawa and Flores, belongs to another time and place. Rugged, dry, covered in scrub and borassus palms, it is just few degrees south of the equator, and represents an arid anomaly in the lushness of the monsoon-feed island of the Indonesia archipelago. But it is perfect habitat for one of world's most awesome animals - the Komodo Dragons.<br />
<span class="fullpost"><br />Biological Riches<br /><br />The wild Komodo area offers just about every imaginable type of diving, from current swept sea mounds patrolled by groups of sharks, tuna and other big fish to plunging walls, covered in impressive corals, to calm reefs alive with invertebrates and hundreds of colorful reef fishes. The water temperature varies from chilly 22C to 30C bath water. Visibility ranges from a clear 25-30 meters to a dismal 3 meters, when clouds of tiny fish and plankton allow only macro photography.<br /><br />The variety of marine life in the Komodo area rivals the world's best. There are deep seas both north and south of the narrow straits running between the little islands and strong currents and upwelling bring nutrients and plankton, keeping all the marine creatures well-fed.<br /><br />While the Komodo areas well explored, due to it is vastness there are new dive site discovered every year. In general, there are two habitats and two seasons for Diving Komodo - the winter for the cooler , temperate water southern sites and the summer for the warmer, tropical north. The main factor in enjoying diving Komodo is visibility and the north is more predictable in this regards.<br /><br />Komodo is unique region because it offers divers to choice of both tropical and temperate diving within the scant space of 10 kilometers. The volcanic thrusts and limestone uplifts combined with half-meter differential between the south China.<br /><br />DivingSeaSafari.Com offer scuba diving adventure, liveaboard in luxury Pinisi Cruises. Sea Safari Scuba Diving are explore Indonesia archipelago, like Raja Ampat in Papua, Komodo "Dragon" Island, Derawan, Alor, Ambon and Nusa Tenggara.<br /><br />More Articles on: Bali, Komodo Indonesia Diving Liveaboard.<br /><br />I'm 28 years old, webmaster in cruises company and manage http://www.divingseasafari.com and http://www.seasafaricruises.com I live in Bali, the paradise island in Indonesia. Your traveling will not be complete before you go to Bali and Indonesia archipelago. Explore all in my sites.<br /><br />Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Alexandra</span></div>
Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-62868033350929603232008-08-22T01:41:00.000-07:002019-10-15T18:03:59.976-07:00Traveling to Comodo Island<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pulau Komodo (<b>ComodoIsland</b>) - How to reach Comodo of Dragon?</span> From Lombok or the Gilis, you can get a 3/4 day boat trip costing around 250 000 rupiahs which isn't much (13000 to the £ when I was there) and they'll take you in a wooden boat of about 15m in length to Flores stopping off at numerous reefs to scuba as well as Komodo and Rinca where the dragons live. The reef off Komodo is spectacularly colourful and the fish is abundant but be wary of the current. I would also suggest you take your own snorkel gear though they are supplied and quality can be dubious.
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Excellent fun though check the boat and make sure you have agreement on the food and water as they will skimp if you do not keep an eye out and you will become very familiar with noodles and rice. The fee also includes travel back to Lombok via the ferry and buses. It is worth looking around Flores as there is Kelimuti, the 3 coloured volcanic lakes.</div>
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Source : fixtures4all.com/comodo-island.html</div>
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Foto : Istimewa</div>
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Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-35330545831202360922008-08-21T19:24:00.000-07:002017-02-19T05:44:57.553-08:00About Komodo National Park<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcs3lz8aB_-rQOdlz8HnSlNTsvlGFV8u7spRVuV2ScXQAXTSeMHaShorOm2nCrqXX1hNfHl_Nvl83AyT2N-TTIapD9-f9Z0iQJexQddwHxMJCTf5ji1JnYJP1rmQyLYdxKoBZfNPjMrkQ/s1600-h/map_small_comodo_island.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244214367347545090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcs3lz8aB_-rQOdlz8HnSlNTsvlGFV8u7spRVuV2ScXQAXTSeMHaShorOm2nCrqXX1hNfHl_Nvl83AyT2N-TTIapD9-f9Z0iQJexQddwHxMJCTf5ji1JnYJP1rmQyLYdxKoBZfNPjMrkQ/s320/map_small_comodo_island.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">LOCATION :</span> Komodo National Park lies in the Wallacea Region of Indonesia, identified by WWF and Conservation International as a global conservation priority area. The Park is located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores at the border of the Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) and Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTP) provinces. It includes three major islands, Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and numerous smaller islands together totaling 603 km2 of land. The total size of Komodo National Park is presently 1,817 km2. Proposed extensions of 25 km2 of land (Banta Island) and 479 km2 of marine waters would bring the total surface area up to 2,321 km2. (Click on the map to enlarge - 70kB)<br />
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<span class="fullpost"><span style="font-weight: bold;">HISTORY :</span><br />Komodo National Park was established in 1980 and was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1986. The park was initially established to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), first discovered by the scientific world in 1911 by J.K.H. Van Steyn. Since then conservation goals have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both marine and terrestrial.<br /><br />The majority of the people in and around the Park are fishermen originally from Bima (Sumbawa), Manggarai, South Flores, and South Sulawesi. Those from South Sulawesi are from the Suku Bajau or Bugis ethnic groups. The Suku Bajau were originally nomadic and moved from location to location in the region of Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara and Maluku, to make their livelihoods. Descendents of the original people of Komodo, the Ata Modo, still live in Komodo, but there are no pure blood people left and their culture and language is slowly being integrated with the recent migrants.<br /><br />Little is known of the early history of the Komodo islanders. They were subjects of the Sultanate of Bima, although the island’s remoteness from Bima meant its affairs were probably little troubled by the Sultanate other than by occasional demand for tribute.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.komodonationalpark.org/about_komodo_national_park.htm">Read more</a></span></div>
<br />Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-62063881488510957382008-08-02T22:36:00.000-07:002019-10-15T18:14:13.534-07:00How to reach Komodo Island<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pulau Komodo (<b>ComodoIsland</b>) - Komodo the last dragon on earth, wildlife, marine life, white sandy beach, sea cruise, snorkeling & diving, trekking.
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* BIMA (on Sumbawa Island). Bima is accesible by one hour flight from BALI.</div>
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* LABUAN BAJO (on Flores Island), accesible by flight from Bali.<br />
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DURATION: 3 - 4 Days. </div>
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<span class="fullpost"> BEST SEASON: April - November (dry season, the sea is normally calm during this time of year). <br /> GROUP SIZE: Min: 02 Person / Max: 10 Persons. <br /> DEPENDENCIES: <br /><br />Sea weather during the peak of rain season especially between January - February is dangerous to sail to Komodo Island.<br /> <br />This is one of the highlights of Indonesia travel tour. Encounter the world's largest lizards, the Komodo Dragons (Varanus Komodoensis), considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today. Its ancestors roamed the earth up to about half a million years ago. Nowadays the dragons estimated at 5,000 - 7,000 inhabited the islands of Komodo, Rinca and other tiny surrounding islands, and on the westernmost part of Flores Island in Indonesia.<br /><br />To reach the islands we will board on a fisherman wooden boat which have been modified to enable and suitable for carrying tourist, equipped by Radio Navigation, Electricity, Toilet, One big cabin which has 6-8 beds, Life jackets and Mattress. and cruising to Komodo and Rinca Islands, the home of the Last Dragons on Earth, belong to Komodo National Park system designed to protect and preserve the endangered Komodo Dragon.<br /><br />Along with the national park's rangers we will silently explore the islands on foot for the encounters with the dragons. The dragons are large, ferocious predators that are fully capable of killing and eating a human being and capable of running as fast as a dog! But don't worry, the rangers are experiences and know well how to deal with dragons which can reach a length of 3 meters (about 10 feet).<br /><br />Besides the dragons, you can also experience Indonesia wildlife tour on Rinca Island by trekking through the island to observe the other wild animals such as deer, horses, birds etc, in their wild life.<br /><br />We will spend an adventurous nights on the boat. In the morning or afternoon you can snorkeling and diving around Komodo, some of the best in the world, especially for seeing soft corals. Some of the beaches nearby have beautiful pink sand, tinted by fragments of red coral mixed in with other shell and coral fragments. This is a complete set of adventure in Indonesia.<br /><br />To reach the islands, firstly you just need to take an about 2 hours from Bali and landing at both Bima or Labuan Bajo Airstrips where you can take the boat to reach the islands of the dragons. Complicated? No. You will find all of these are well arranged in our tour packages.<br /><br />◊ 3 DAYS KOMODO DRAGON ADVENTURE (VIA BIMA)<br />◊ 4 DAYS KOMODO DRAGON ADVENTURE (VIA BIMA)<br /> ◊ 3 DAYS KOMODO DRAGON ADVENTURE (VIA LABUAN BAJO)<br />◊ 4 DAYS KOMODO DRAGON ADVENTURE (VIA LABUAN BAJO)<br /><br /> 3 DAYS KOMODO TOUR (VIA BIMA) Grade: Easy Start/End: Bima Airport <br /> <br />DAY 01: BALI - BIMA (SUMBAWA ISLAND) - KOMODO ISLAND<br /><br />On arrival in Bima met and transferred to Sape Harbor and cruise to Komodo island on a wooden vessel, a local boat which have been modified to enable and suitable for carrying tourist. Equipped by radio navigation, electricity, and toilet, one big cabin that has-6 - 12beds, life jacket and mattress. Late afternoon arrive at Komodo Island. Accommodation on the boat (L,D).<br /><br />DAY 02: KOMODO ISLAND - SAPE - BIMA<br /><br />Boarding down the boat and proceed trekking to meet and observe the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. Swim and snorkeling at the white sandy beach and coral life at the island nearby. Back to Sape and drive to Bima. Overnight at hotel in Bima (B,L,D).<br /><br />DAY 03: BIMA - BALI<br /><br />Transfer to the Airport for your flight back to Bali or to next destination (B).<br /><br />4 DAYS KOMODO TOUR (VIA BIMA) Grade: Easy Start/End: Bima Airport <br /> <br />DAY 01: BALI - BIMA (SUMBAWA ISLAND) - KOMODO ISLAND<br /><br />On arrival in Bima met and transferred to Sape Harbor and cruise to Komodo island on a wooden vessel, a local boat which have been modified to enable and suitable for carrying tourist. Equipped by radio navigation, electricity, and toilet, one big cabin that has-6 - 12beds, life jacket and mattress. Late afternoon arrive at Komodo Island. Boarding down the boat and proceed trekking to meet and observe the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. Overnight on boat (B,L,D)<br /><br />DAY 02: KOMODO ISLAND - RINCA ISLAND<br /><br />Second visit to Komodo Island. Proceed cruise to Rinca another island inhabited by the Komodo. Trekking on the island to observe the Komodo dragons and other wildlife such as deer, horses, bird etc. in their wild life. Return to the boat for overnight (B,L,D).<br /><br />DAY 03: RINCA - BIMA<br /><br />Swim or snorkel on clean and white sandy beach. Boating back to Sape and proceed drive to bima. Overnight at a small hotel in Bima (B,L,D).<br /><br />DAY 04: BIMA - BALI<br /><br />Transfer to the Airport for your flight back to Bali or to next destination (B).<br /><br />Back to Top<br /><br /> 3 DAYS KOMODO TOUR (VIA LABUAN BAJO) Grade: Easy Start/End: Labuan Bajo Airport <br /> <br />DAY 01: BALI - LABUAN BAJO (FLORES ISLAND)<br /><br />On arrival in Labuan Bajo by flight from Bali, met and transferred to a small hotel for your accommodation (L,D).<br /><br />DAY 02: LABUAN BAJO - KOMODO DAY TRIP - LABUAN BAJO<br /><br />Boarding down the boat and proceed trekking to meet and observe the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. Swim and snorkeling at the white sandy beach and coral life at the island nearby. Cruise back to Labuan Bajo. Overnight at hotel (B,L,D).<br /><br />DAY 03: LABUAN BAJ0 - BALI<br /><br />Transfer to the Airport for your flight back to Bali or to next destination (B).<br /><br />4 DAYS KOMODO TOUR (VIA LABUAN BAJO) Grade: Easy Start/End: Labuan Bajo Airport <br /> <br />DAY 01: BALI - LABUAN BAJO (FLORES ISLAND) - RINCA ISLAND<br /><br />On arrival in Labuan Bajo by flight from Bali, met and transferred to harbor and board on a wooden boat to cruise to Rinca Island. Afternoon arrive at Rinca Island. Accommodation on boat (L,D)<br /><br />DAY 02: RINCA ISLAND - KOMODO ISLAND<br /><br />Trekking on the Rinca island to observe the Komodo dragons and other wildlife such as deer, horses, bird etc. in their wild life. Return to the boat and proceed to Komodo Island. Afternoon beach activities at Pink Beach known as the best underwater corals. Return to the boat for overinght (B,L,D).<br /><br />DAY 03: KOMODO - LABUANBAJO<br /><br />Boarding down the boat and proceed trekking to meet and observe the Komodo dragons in their natural habitat. Boating back to Labuan Bajo. Overnight at a hotel (B,L,D).<br /><br />DAY 03: LABUAN BAJ0 - BALI<br /><br />Transfer to the Airport for your flight back to Bali or to next destination (B).<br /><br />Souce : http://www.indonesiatravelinfo.com/Komodo.htm</span></div>
Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-65470777611013947712008-08-02T22:31:00.000-07:002019-10-15T02:21:04.589-07:00The Biogeography of the Komodo Dragon<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Pulau Komodo (<b>ComodoIsland</b>) - (Varanus komodoensis) by Craig Jung, student in Geography 316, Spring 1999</div>
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photo source: Ciofi 1999</div>
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Kingdom: Animalia </div>
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Phylum: Chordata</div>
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Class: Reptilia</div>
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Order:Squamata</div>
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Family: Varanidae</div>
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Genus:Varanus</div>
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Species: V. komodoensis</div>
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<span class="fullpost"><br />Description of Species: </span>Indonesia there is a type of lizard that can reach sizes that you may have thought only existed in fairy tales. These unique reptiles have been able to develop in an area where there is little for large animals to live on. They were there long before humans but like many organisms around the world they are subject to the growing human populations. These monitor lizards are known as Komodo dragons.</div>
<span class="fullpost"> The Komodo dragon, also known as Varanus komodoensis, may reach lengths of up to three meters and may weigh as much as 500 pounds. They have claws that may be as long as ten centimeters, teeth that operate like little scalpels and saliva that contains a deadly bacteria, staphylococcus (Cherrington, 1997). These monitors are known to be strong swimmers and may dive down to depths of 15 feet. Most importantly they possess great intelligence, displayed best when they hunt or search out their next meal.<br /><br />Habitat:<br /> These unique animals are only found on the island of Komodo and three nearby islands in Indonesia. These islands are located in the lesser Sunda, halfway along the Indonesia archipelago, east of Bali and west of Timor. Human populations are small on these three islands. The island of Komodo contains about 1,700 dragons, Rinca has 1,300, and the tiny island of Gili Motang possesses around 100 dragons. Komodo National Park consists of these three islands and various other islets. Around 2000 more Komodos live on the island of Flores located to the east (Ciofi, 1999). These unique animals are only found on the island of Komodo and three nearby islands in Indonesia. These islands are located in the lesser Sunda, halfway along the Indonesia archipelago, east of Bali and west of Timor. Human populations are small on these three islands. The island of Komodo contains about 1,700 dragons, Rinca has 1,300, and the tiny island of Gili Motang possesses around 100 dragons. Komodo National Park consists of these three islands and various other islets. Around 2000 more Komodos live on the island of Flores located to the east (Ciofi, 1999).<br /><br />Natural History:<br /> Komodo dragons are one of the largest carnivorous reptiles. These large lizards start out as hatchlings only a foot long. Young dragons live in the trees for protection from larger predators and adult Komodo monitors. Their diets consist of insects and small lizards. When they reach adolescence their diets may consist of rodents, birds, and large mammals occasionally. Adult Komodo dragons can take down large animals fifteen times their size, like water buffalo (Cherrington 1997). When large mammals are not available adult monitors will scavenge or eat rodents. Monitors tend to rely on the element of surprise in order to catch a meal. They will lie and wait in heavy brush waiting for some unsuspecting deer or wild boar to cross their path.<br /> Large prey usually will be struck at the ankles causing them to fall to the ground where they will be finished off by the monitor's powerful jaws. Their deadly saliva causes serious infections with no known cure. Even if the prey manages to escape the initial strike, they inevitably will die from an infection or bleed to death . These large monitors are rather fast for their size, 11 m.p.h., but only for short distances. Adult dragons have voracious appetites and can eat up to 80% of their empty body weight (Diamond 1992). They will eat everything from the bones to the hooves. Yet a 100 pound adult can survive on only 30 pounds of meat a month when it becomes necessary (Diamond, 1992). Their diets today, water buffalo and deer, were introduced by humans.<br /> No distinguishing physical features provide any indications in determining their gender. Males tend to be larger than females but other than that there are no striking morphological differences. One slight difference lies in the arrangement of their scales in front of their cloaca, the cavity that contains their genitalia (Ciofi, 1999). Regardless of our inability to determine the proper gender, Komodo dragons know who is who and what is what. They tend to mate between May and August. Before mating occurs the dominant males battle to determine who will be their mate. They do not fight to the death, but blood is usually drawn. Their tails play an integral part during battle as they get in upright positions and wrestle (Ciofi, 1999). The winner of the wrestling match gets to choose his mate.<br /> Courtship begins with the male flicking his tongue on the female's nose and then over her body. The male must expose a pair of hemipenes from his cloaca before mating can be accomplished. Once this has happened he then climbs on the back of his mate and inserts one of the two hemipenes into the female's cloaca (Ciofi, 1999).<br /> A couple of months after the hot season female dragons will lay their eggs in September. Cooler conditions provide a better environment for the developing eggs. Usually the female monitor will dig out an area on a hill or takeover the nest of a Megapode bird (Ciofi, 1999). During the incubation period she will lie on the nest and protect her future offspring. Once the young hatch the female will tend to the young alone which is common for Komodos.<br /><br />Evolution:<br /> They share a common past with dinosaurs but are not direct descendants. Both dinosaurs and monitor lizards belong to the subclass Diapsida (Ciofi, 1999). The earliest fossils from this subclass go back to the late Carboniferous period, about 300 million years ago. Monitor lizards are related to Lepidsauria which emerged from Diapsida, about 250 million years ago at the end of the Paleozoic era. About 100 million years ago, during the Cretaceous era, a species related to contemporary varanids appear in the fossil records of central Asia. Marine lizards from this species went extinct, along with dinosaurs, about 65 million years ago. During the Eocene, 50 million years ago, land monitors spread throughout Europe and South Asia. The Varanus genus appeared and evolved about 40 and 25 million years ago in Asia. Varanids made it to Australia about 15 million years ago when Australia collided with southeast Asia. Then 2 million years later a second lineage differentiated and moved throughout Australia and the Indonesian archipelago when the two were much closer. Lower sea levels allowed the dragons to reach their destination. Varanus komodoensis differentiated from its earliest Australian relative about 4 million years ago (Ciofi, 1999). Komodos migrated to the islands of Flores, Rinca and Gila Motang, which were joined about 10,000 years ago. The island of Komodo joined the other islands around 20,000 years ago during the last Ice Age.<br /> Fossil evidence supports the idea that Komodo dragons may be relics of a larger distribution, stretching as far as the eastern portion of Flores to Timor. Fossils from pygmy elephants, stegodont, found on both Timor and Flores suggest that the two islands may have been close enough to allow migration during the Pleistocene era. The existence of large mammals provided an adequate supply of food to feed lizards as large as Komodo dragons and possibly larger. Megalania prisca, a varanid, could have reached lengths up to 23 feet and weighed up to a ton due to the existence of stegodonts or pygmy elephants (Diamond, 1992). These enormous varanids, that have been extinct for 25,000 years, may explain how Komodo dragons evolved to be such large carnivores in an ecosystem that has a limited amount of resources.<br /><br />Distribution<br /> There are two routes they could have traveled to reach their present location. They either arrived directly from Asia or came through the island of Java or Australia. The Komodo dragons are endemic to the islands of the Lesser Sunda. Their biomes consist of savanna, tropical scrub forest, and tropical grasslands. They managed to fill a niche on the islands which allowed them to evolve into modern day dragons. Komodo monitors colonized these small islands due to their cold blooded body types, and the conditions of the islands. The island of Komodo falls within the rain shadow of the larger island of Sumbawa (Cherrington, 1997). Komodos are known to go about a month and a half without water in the dry season. As reptiles, Komodo monitors do not require as much energy or food as carnivorous mammals, like tigers. Warm-blooded animals tend to have higher metabolisms that may limit their range to areas with sufficient food supplies. Cold-blooded animals require only one-tenth as much food as a mammal the same size (Diamond, 1992).<br /><br />Map of Distribution:<br /><br /><br /> Map Source: Ciofi 1999<br /><br />Other interesting issues:<br /> Deer poaching has created problems for some of the lizards to the point were they have been put on the endangered species list. Poaching combined with human interactions make the Komodo's situation worse. The island of Flores has both of these problems for the monitors. Slash and burn is practiced in the monsoon forest leading to the disappearance of the dragons (Ciofi, 1999). Once again humans are at the heart of some serious environmental problem. The fate of the Komodo dragon lies in the hands of people. Our choices will effect how another species will live or die. Hopefully we will all see the importance of such a rare reptilian species.<br /><br />Bibliography<br />Cherrington, Mark. 1997. "Here Be Dragons." Earthwatch 17(1): 26-35.<br />Ciofi, Claudio. 1999. "The Komodo Dragon." Scientific America 280(3): 84-91. Maps of the Lesser Sunda came from the web site:www.sciam.com/1990/0399issue/0399ciofi.htm<br />Claudio Ciofi's article provided valuable information concerning the evolutionary history of Varanids.<br />Diamond, Jared. 1992. "The Evolution of Dragons." Discover 13(12): 72-80.<br />Quammen, David. 1996. The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinctions. New York, NY. Scribner.<br />Stevens, Jane. 1993. "Facing The Dragon." International Wildlife 23(3): 30-34.<br />Winters, Chris. 1995. Varanus komodoensis. University of Michigan [online] http://www.http.itd.umich.edu/bio /doc.cgi ...uamata/Varanidae/Varanus_komodoensis.<br /><br />Source : http://www.sfsu.edu/~geog/bholzman/courses/316projects/komodo.htm</span>Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-88462815076751456312008-08-02T22:28:00.000-07:002019-10-15T02:22:40.345-07:00KOMODO DRAGON EXPEDITION<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Pulau Komodo (</span><b style="text-align: justify;">ComodoIsland</b><span style="text-align: justify;">) - </span>Rates Contact Address Main page<br />
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01 Denpasar - Bima - Komodo ( LD )<br />
Upon arrival at Salahudin airport in Bima, direct transfer by minivan around 45 kms to Sape seaport. Board the boat crossing the Sape strait around 7 hours to reach Komodo island passing barren and strange island such as an expedition to unknown place. Lunch and dinner on board.<br />
02 Komodo - Bima ( BLD )<br />
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<span class="fullpost">After breakfast walk around 2 kms to Banugulung where the giant lizards usually gather. You will be guarded also by rangers of the national park. From a distance some times can see wild deers, snakes, geckos, and other small animals. Return to the boat for breakfast, and enjoy the time for swimming or just admire the scenery, before returning to Bima. Lunch will be served on board. Around 4.00 pm arrived back in Bima. Dinner and overnight at Lambitu hotel or similar in Bima.<br />03 Bima - Denpasar ( B )<br />After breakfast at hotel, check out hotel and depart for city tour visiting the market of Bima, king palace which is changed into a museum. Then direct transfer to airport for your flight to Denpasar.<br />2 Persons 3-5 Persons Single Supplement<br />US$ 395.00 US$ 350.00 US$ 85.00<br /><br />Rates are per person based on TWN sharing room, not commissionbale and valid until 31 October 2009. Inclusion: Tours and transfers with English speaking tour guide, air conditioned minivan, meals as indicated with B for breakfast, L for lunch, D for dinner. Boat of simple cabin, only one cabin with some beds which is not private cabin. Also not available soft drinks or beer on board. Toilet is available but simple, and small accommodation is basic completed with hot/cold running water, split air-condition, TV with parabola antenna, small frizzier, private bath.. Exclusion: Tipping and any personal expenses, air fares and airport taxes. Current return air fares Denpasar - Bima - Denpasar is US$ 165.00<br /><br />Other choice of visiting Komodo island<br /> <br /><br />Komodo Island is a small island of 280 square Km, Komodo island is located between the island of Sumbawa and Flores. Komodo island is almost all full and barren except for palm trees and some wood but it is famous for its giant lizards which are considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today. To many modern naturalist, East Nusa Tenggara is so particularly interesting because of this unique species, called the Komodo Dragon, Komodo Lizard called 'Ora" by the local people. Komodo Dragon (Varanus Komodoensis) is actually a giant monitor lizard species. Komodo Lizard growing up to 3 to 4 meters in length its ancestors roamed the earth up to about half a million years ago. Komodo live on carrions of goats, deers, and even the carcasses of its own kind. The only human population on the island is at the fishing village called Komodo too who supplement their income breeding goats which are used to feed the lizards. The Komodo is protected by law and though they are considered harmless, it is advisable to keep them at a distance. Komodo is now a nature reserve being part of a national park. It is home to a number of rare bird species, deer, and wild pigs, which are prey to the lizards as well. To see Komodo lizards in the day time, baits have to be set in the hinterland where local guides are necessary. The sea surrounding Komodo island offers visitors of sea life, crystal clear water, and white sandy beaches. The best time to visit Komodo island is between March and June, and between October and December. Komodo island is accessible from the sea only. Fly to Labuan Bajo or Bima than continued by boat to Komodo island. Labuan Bajo is a little town inhabited by fisherman, lies at the extreme western part of Flores. The town serves as a jumping off points for the trip to Komodo island. From Labuan Bajo to Komodo island will be taken around 3-4 hours by boat and from Bima to Komodo island will be taken around 4-6 hours by boat. From Denpasar to Bima and return, there is daily flight serving this sector while from Denpasar to Labuan Bajo and return the flight is seldom to fly and some time cancel without prior notice. We strongly recommend you to visit Komodo island via Bima. For overnight in Komodo, we suggest to overnight on boat for safety reason than overnight on ranger house in Komodo island.<br /><br />Source : http://www.balitouring.com/tour/komodo/komodo/index.html</span>Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-69370159429282922122008-08-02T22:21:00.000-07:002019-10-15T17:23:04.352-07:00Komodo Island: Lizards, legends and natural beauty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pulau Komodo (<b>ComodoIsland</b>) - Adji Kurniawan, Contributor, Komodo Island
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Once upon a time, a mystical lady called the Dragon Princess lived on a barren and remote island. She was married to a man named Najo. She conceived and gave birth to an egg she kept in a cave. A komodo dragon hatched out of the egg and was given the name Ora. A child, Gerong, was born at the same time.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">As a youth, Gerong went out to hunt deer in a forest. He ran into Ora, who wanted to eat the deer being pursued. Gerong became enraged and was on the verge of killing Ora. The princess appeared at the last moment to remind them that they were twins. Gerong calmed down and behaved kindly toward Ora.<br /><br />Locals on Komodo Island, Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), believe the story above dates back to time immemorial. The old folk tale about the origin of the giant komodo lizard has become an enduring island legend.<br /><br />Remembering this myth, islanders treat the lizards they call Ora humanely. They feed aged komodos who are no longer capable of stalking prey, while the youngsters are free to chase deer and other animals in the forest. Thus, there are thousands of these rare dragons today.<br /><br />The cave where Ora is said to have hatched is called Loang Atawini, on southern Komodo Island. There, the grave of Najo is also highly venerated. The Dragon Princess herself has no burial place, because locals feel certain that she is immortal and comes back when necessary to protect the island.<br /><br />Komodo village is located around two kilometers west of Long Liang, a local sea terminal and village. Its inhabitants live in closely built houses on stilts, some 200 meters from the sea. With wooden walls and galvanized iron roofs, the large dwellings are usually occupied by several families. Behind their homes are open fields where village youths play football. Motorboats and sampans are moored off the coast. The village also has a mosque.<br /><br />The island's barren, wild and remote conditions seem to defy human habitation. But people have lived on Komodo for a long time, long before the island's conversion into a national park. Hunting and occasional fishing used to be their livelihood. After they moved, they were banned from hunting. Now they are mostly fishermen, with some working as vendors and craftsmen producing wooden komodo replicas.<br /><br />Komodo villagers consider themselves indigenous to the island because of their decades of occupation and their spiritual bond with the dragons. But are they? That is hard to prove. However, records indicate they are descendants of the Bajau or Bajo ethnic group from South Sulawesi. They settled in Komodo and have since been living in harmony with nature, including komodo lizards.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magnet</span><br /><br />The old story and the Komodo culture are only part of the charm the island has to offer. Various beautiful places can be found in Komodo National Park (TNK), including Banu Nggulung, Merah Beach, Poreng-Sabieta, Mt. Ara and Mt. Satalibo. Komodo lizards also remain a major magnet bringing tourists to the island.<br /><br />Komodos are the last surviving monitor lizard species capable of reproduction. The cold-blooded reptiles were first discovered by a Dutchman, JKH Van Steyn, in 1911. They became famous in the world of science in 1912, after researcher and biologist Mayor PA Ouwens in his article ""On a Large Varanus Species from the Island of Komodo"" gave the dragons a scientific name, Varanus komodoensis.<br /><br />The prehistoric lizards can reach over three meters long and weigh as much as 90 kilograms. Besides Komodo Island, they are scattered on Rinca Island and a number of surrounding islets. Rinca's dragons are a bit fiercer, with yellowish skin. Komodos are solitary animals, very seldom seen in groups except in Banu Nggulung.<br /><br />Banu Nggulung is the location to watch and photograph komodos with ease. Some two kilometers east of Loh Liang, it is 45 minutes' walk along village paths lined with lush vegetation that for the most part resembles the trees of Darwin, Australia. This is due to the effect of the dry winds that sometimes blow into the area from that country.<br /><br />Large, wild komodos often appear on the route to Banu Nggulung, poised to devour the unwary. Therefore, visitors are not allowed to walk alone; they must be accompanied by national park guides or forest rangers.<br /><br />Pantai Merah, which means Red Beach, is among the island's most gorgeous spots. Tourists often call it Pink Beach. Its name comes from the reddish sand that covers its sloping shore. A favorite of sunbathers, the beach is also an interesting place for swimming, snorkeling, diving and fishing, since it offers a magnificent coral reefs as well as diverse commercial and ornamental fish species. Some tourists claim that its aquarium fish and coral are among the best found in Indonesia.<br /><br />Komodo Island also boasts a beautiful panorama of two brownish hills, Poreng and Sabieta, with expanses of grassland and rows of palmyra trees. Wild buffaloes frequently graze there, and tourists who are lucky can see blackish adult komodos searching for their prey.<br /><br />Poreng-Sabieta, 10 kilometers east of Loh Liang, can be reached via a footpath. It has a grave marked with a white cross in memory of a foreign tourist who was swallowed by a komodo dragon. According to reports, the man was taking pictures. He dropped his guard, and the giant lizard assaulted and devoured him. Nothing was left except his hair and the camera. The grave is intended to honor his soul and at the same time serve as a reminder to visitors to remain vigilant.<br /><br />Another lovely spot is Mt. Ara, which is 510 meters above sea level and has a campground. One can get there via an 8-kilometer path from Loh Liang. Finally, Mt. Satalibo is the farthest destination from Loh Liang. With an altitude of 735 meters, it is the tallest mountain on Komodo. One can see the whole panorama of the island, including the sea and nearby islets, from its summit.<br /><br />How to reach Komodo kingdom<br /><br />Komodo Island draws wealthy tourists and backpackers alike. Those with money to spend often visit the island after Bali and Lombok. Spice Island Cruises and Evening Star are among the luxury ships that ply the route.<br /><br />Tourists who are adventurous or short on cash go by bus, passenger ship and ferry. According to some backpackers, the ferry journey is more challenging because of the storms that frequently break out in Batu Tiga waters, between Labuanbajo and Komodo. The violent storms locals call kala-kala have swallowed a motorboat and a ferry, claiming passengers' lives.<br /><br />Labuanbajo, Flores, is the gate to Komodo and the other islands within the Komodo National Park (TNK). The other entrance is Sape, on Sumbawa Island in West Nusa Tenggara. Tourists can take a ferry from Labuanbajo or Sape and disembark in Komodo Island waters before proceeding by sampan to the Loh Liang terminal. Fishermen's motorboats or speedboats can also be hired at negotiable fares. It takes 4 hours to travel from Labuanbajo to Loh Liang by motorboat. A speedboat takes only about an hour, but is more expensive. It is cheaper to visit Rinca Island due to its proximity to Labuanbajo.<br /><br />You can reach Labuanbajo by any major form of transportation. It takes four days by bus or sea from Jakarta. In order to save time, visitors can fly from Jakarta to Mataram, Lombok, and then go by bus to Sape and further by speedboat to Loh Liang.<br /><br />The Loh Liang tourist village is the gate and ticket counter for Komodo Island. It has complete facilities, such as a forest rangers office, a hostel that houses dozens of guests at reasonable rates, a cafeteria offering typical seafood and a cooperative selling souvenirs. For a tour of Rinca Island, tickets are available in Loh Buaya. Rinca, also providing accommodation, has a five-kilometer path through a hilly area where tourists can see long-tailed monkeys, wild horses and komodos.<br /><br />Remote land<br /><br />Komodo National Park feels like a remote area. That is because its natural and geographic conditions are different from most other regions in the country. Some of its islands are hilly, the results of centuries-long geological shifting. Other islets were formed by coral reaching as high as 200 to 400 meters.<br /><br />The climate is relatively dry, with average rainfall of 800 to 1,000 millimeters. Its rainy season, which runs from January to April, and its longer dry spell affect the forms and types of flora and fauna. Its vegetation is dominated by grassland interspersed with tamarind, waru (hibiscus), wild cotton, kesambi (lac) and lontar (palmyra) trees.<br /><br />The park has a combination of mangroves, seasonal and tropical rain forests, which are not as dense as the jungles of Java, Papua, Kalimantan and Sumatra. Its wildlife has only about 185 species, representing such Asian-Australian transition species as eagles, pigeons, cockatoos, Timorese deer, snakes, wild horses, and komodos. But its marine creatures are diverse: a survey by an international agency found that TNK waters contained around 900 marine biota species, including over 100 fish species like napoleon, groupers, red snappers and rayfish, as well as 260 species of coral, especially Acropora sp. Dolphins, sharks and blue whales are often found, too.<br /><br />Covering an area of almost 220,000 hectares, the TNK mainly comprises Komodo (33,937 hectares), Rinca (19,625 hectares) and Padar (2,017 hectares), plus Gili Motang and a number of islets and their waters. Flanked by two provincial borders, it lies in the Sape Strait between the western tip of Flores and the eastern tip of Sumbawa.<br /><br />Given the natural wealth, beauty and unique features of Komodo Island and its adjacent islets, the government declared the entire zone a national park on March 6, 1980, with the primary aim of protecting komodos and their habitat. UNESCO designated it as a Natural World Heritage Site in 1991. Under the Soeharto government, komodo dragons were declared the national animal in 1992. And in 1997, UNESCO declared it a Man and Biosphere Reserve.<br /><br />Source : http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2006/12/10/komodo-island-lizards-legends-and-natural-beauty.html</span><br />
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<span class="fullpost">Foto : Istimwa</span></div>
Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-11539234476145981502008-08-02T22:17:00.000-07:002019-10-15T02:25:30.759-07:00The Legend of Komodo Dragon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OQ-_PBxK3EsRht1WwMiJMu66njna9SIQMGD4XAXNP2iu2yTH9l77vYkXZJyaExsXcy3oOS7cVLzPaniFmCkayVYg7bslex80fyjppuUzAUBZoR8R5xNdZC1Xl57-apH4gSkWfZRV7v8/s1600/comoto.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OQ-_PBxK3EsRht1WwMiJMu66njna9SIQMGD4XAXNP2iu2yTH9l77vYkXZJyaExsXcy3oOS7cVLzPaniFmCkayVYg7bslex80fyjppuUzAUBZoR8R5xNdZC1Xl57-apH4gSkWfZRV7v8/s1600/comoto.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Pulau Komodo (</span><b style="text-align: justify;">ComodoIsland</b><span style="text-align: justify;">) - </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Pulau Komodo (</span><b style="text-align: justify;">ComodoIsland</b><span style="text-align: justify;">) - </span>By: Paul Edmundus, In a travel brochure of East Nusa Tenggara Timur Province or East Lesser Sunda Islands where Komodo is located that we published recently, I wrote that if there are 8 World Wonders on our earth, the eighth must be Komodo, one of the great wild life areas in the world, a National park, 59,000 hectares that occupied more than 3000 Komodo Dragons or Varanus Komodoensis or the giant lizards which are considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today and the largest on earth. I can understand if you will NOT believe this as many of my listeners when I told this story most of them interrupted me with questions:" is that really Paul?, is that true Paul, wow…….".<br />
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The locals name this animal: "Ora" or Grand Pa or Grand Ma, as they believe that it was changed or formed from human and they are the grand children and always appeal not to attack them. These giant lizards are growing 3-4 meters in length, 1 meter high (when stands), 150-300 kg weight, can run swiftly, dig holes, swim, dive and the young dragons can climb trees. I saw this myself in 1975 when the first time I visited Komodo island, unfortunately I had no camera YET to take pictures. I and my group accompanied by 5 police man who brought their guns, ready to shoot, we picked up them in Labuanbajo - Flores, no rangers, no tickets, no camera fee. Why did the young dragons climb? Because I hung a bait, a dead goat on the tree to enable the dragons to smell from far distance and come close to the tree on the beach where I and my colleagues have made a very good camouflage for our Italian journalists and tourists of 21 persons can make pictures. But about 10 years ago the local Authority has forbidden visitors to feed the dragon in order to live naturally.</div>
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The National park consists of 3 main islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar and other small islands surroundings. Komodo Dragons are carnivore; they can kill goats, deer, horse, buffalo and wild boars. Komodo dragons are NOT only live in the above islands, but also in Flores Island, they are scattered from the west part to the central of Flores about 200 km away to the east. Since 1975 I have visited this island and witnessed the activity of the dragons for more than 300 times and I have no boring at all.</div>
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Are they dangerous? The answer is YES and NO. No for the locals, but their goats and roosters some times gone. There was sadly story about a Swisstzerland tourist who disappeared on this island in 1974. There was a big rescue, 4 days police, armies, locals have searched the whole island, but unfortunately no sign that he was still there a live. They found his camera 8 km away from the spot that he should be with his tour group and his tour Guide, no sign that he was attacked, no blood, no evident, nothing. Finally, the local authority and his Swisstzerland family concluded that he lost in Komodo Island.</div>
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What you have to do if you wish to visit Komodo island to see the dragons?</div>
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1. Never, never and never walk in the jungle without a Ranger or more.</div>
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2. Always follow the instruction from the Rangers and your Tour Guide.</div>
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3. DO not wear red shirt, red hat or red pants. Red is the color of blood.</div>
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4. Ladies who are in "period" do not visit the island, the dragon has very sharp smell and will run after you.</div>
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How to get there?</div>
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There are 4 ways to reach Komodo island.</div>
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1. By fly from BALI to Labuanbajo-Flores. There are 4 flights in a week (1, 3,4,5). Then cruise to Komodo 3 hours.</div>
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2. By fly from BALI to Bima on Sumbawa island. There are daily flights. Drive to Sape harbor for 1 hour then cruise to Komodo 4-5 hours.</div>
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3. By fly to Maumere on Flores island, have an overland to experience the people, culture, nature and wild life and as the high light is the Three Colored Lakes Kelimutu. Then reach Labuan Bajo, cruise to Komodo.</div>
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4. By cruise from BALI which will take 5-7 days program, combine air, land and sea.</div>
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In May 2004 a lady wrote me in 4 days to question all information to visit Komodo, which I guessed she just want to find out information, probably she would like to visit by her own. I gave all the answers because she came to the right person. I have been very patient to answer all her needs. Here are the questions:</div>
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* How many kilometers is it from Bima to Komodo island?</div>
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* How many kilometers is it from Komodo to Rinca island?</div>
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* How many kilometers is it from Rinca island to Bima?</div>
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* How many kilometers from Sape to Bima?</div>
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* What are the road condition?</div>
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* Are there any other ports that I could sail to islands from or is Sape is the only one?</div>
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* Are there gate to the island? Is there a time to open and close the park?</div>
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* What are the sea condition? Are there water somewhat rough?</div>
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* Would I want to bring sea sickness pill? Or are they mostly calm?</div>
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* How many km is it from the Flores airport to the Labuanbajo port?</div>
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* How long and how much distance from Labuanbajo port to Rinca? Are there differences in the sea conditions and currents?</div>
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Source : http://www.floressatours.com/komodo-dragon/komodo.html</div>
</span>Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-6218549120632500842007-08-02T22:51:00.000-07:002019-10-15T17:24:27.063-07:00KOMODO TOUR PACKAGE WITH LOMBOK TOUR GUIDE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGDRGeka5mucoCHZSNmioH9BVIdgGbQ04CcC9UVHDCBdQeQ1dEw9FlPxBxRUGFGp2TZCzQYqc19ZLBMasCWZl0_6rcXvzlG5EwCBUF1VtoGZJCIzKFzCp9jUb0QSIJpXTnIoP1iamX2A/s1600/Comodo+Island.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="539" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivGDRGeka5mucoCHZSNmioH9BVIdgGbQ04CcC9UVHDCBdQeQ1dEw9FlPxBxRUGFGp2TZCzQYqc19ZLBMasCWZl0_6rcXvzlG5EwCBUF1VtoGZJCIzKFzCp9jUb0QSIJpXTnIoP1iamX2A/s1600/Comodo+Island.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Pulau Komodo (</span><b style="text-align: justify;">ComodoIsland</b><span style="text-align: justify;">) - </span><span style="text-align: justify;">Pulau Komodo (</span><b style="text-align: justify;">ComodoIsland</b><span style="text-align: justify;">) - </span>Komodo is a small island of 280 square km, located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. Barren except for palm trees, Komodo island is famous for its prehistoric giant lizard which are considered the last of their kind remaining in the world today. The Varanus Komodoensis can grow to a length of three meters and live on carrions of goats, deer and even the car cases of its own kind.<br />
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<span class="fullpost">KOMODO ADVENTURE PACKAGE</span></div>
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4DAYS/3NIGHTS</div>
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Day 01 ARRIVAL BIMA</div>
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Upon arrival in Bima transfer to Hotel and lunch. Bima is a Moslem dominated culture but you still can find the pre-Moslem civilization in the area. Visit Wawo - the village where people built rice granaries in a village like compound outside their settlements. Proceed afterwards to Raba to see the typical Bima weaving. To end the day’s program visit Bima Museum and take Ben Hur - local name for Horse carts.</div>
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Day 02 BIMA - SAPE - KOMODO</div>
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Early in the morning transfer to Sape harbor to take boat to Komodo Island. It takes about 6 to 7 hrs to reach Komodo. Lunch on board. Afternoon arrive in Komodo.</div>
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Day 03 KOMODO - SAPE - BIMA</div>
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In the morning follow the trail to reach Banunggulung the former feeding ground to watch the Komodo Dragons. It is about two km for one-way walking. There is Komodo Nature Park Museum, take your chance to have a look. Then take boat to return to Bima. En route stop at Pantai Merah - Pink colored sand beach.</div>
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Day 04 BIMA - NEXT DESTINATION</div>
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5DAYS/4NIGTS PACKAGE</div>
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Day 01: Arrival Bima</div>
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Upon arrive at Salahuddin airport Bima , meeting service then proceed, to Sape harbor by boat cross to Komodo island, lunch will be provided on boat, dinner and over night on boat.</div>
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Day 02: Komodo – Rinca</div>
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Morning leaving boat for Komodo excursion, return on boat swimming at red beach then sail to Rinca island lunch, dinner and over night on boat.</div>
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Day 03: Rinca – Bima</div>
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Morning leaving boat for Komodo excursion, hunting camera with monkeys, deer, buffalo, horses return on boat and sail to Sape harbor lunch on boat, late afternoon arrive in Sape then drive to Bima, dinner and over night at Lambitu hotel.</div>
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Day 04: Bima – City Tours</div>
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Morning take a short city tour visiting Museum, traditional hand weaving, and morning market.Lunch at local restaurant.</div>
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Day 05:Bima – Airport</div>
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After breakfast at the hotel, free at your own leisure till time to drop off to the Airport.</div>
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Source : http://www.lomboktourguide.com/komodo-tour-package.htm<br />
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Foto : Istimewa</div>
</span>Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-21663050747579092522007-08-02T22:44:00.000-07:002019-10-15T17:44:09.549-07:00Komodo Diving Holidays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMIPH1ApqV3XetNfdprX9pL5Z528VybASV_DLtqz90ge0NCgrdKrmuDNGCHNiuvqed43WXZlHc-WVVlgZ_VLP1s6KeVAm2GBeFQ2V7gTczfkUDkLwul4VLtX5avEqTQa9NZXi6KOA4S4/s1600/Comodo+Island+Diving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMIPH1ApqV3XetNfdprX9pL5Z528VybASV_DLtqz90ge0NCgrdKrmuDNGCHNiuvqed43WXZlHc-WVVlgZ_VLP1s6KeVAm2GBeFQ2V7gTczfkUDkLwul4VLtX5avEqTQa9NZXi6KOA4S4/s1600/Comodo+Island+Diving.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">Pulau Komodo (</span><b style="text-align: justify;">ComodoIsland</b><span style="text-align: justify;">) - </span>Komodo National Park Tourist Information<br />
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Sandwiched between Flores and Sumbawa, the hilly and desolate Komodo National Park is made up of the islands of Rinca, Padar and Komodo.</div>
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Padar Island, Komodo National Park</div>
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<span class="fullpost">The only village is Kampung Komodo, a tiny fishing village. Half an hour walk north of here is Loh Liang, the tourist accommodation camp where you can stay in basic wooden cabins, buy food and arrange guided walks. There's a camp at Loh Buaya on Rinca too, but there is no food for sale here.</span></div>
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Apart from dragon spotting, there are some good walks, viewpoints and game viewing with buffaloes, deer, wild pigs and birds. You can also board a glass bottom boat cruising the local waters, and there's a good chance to see large sea mammals, such as whales and dolphins.</div>
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• View a map of KomodoOpens in a new window</div>
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The rest of this page contains information about:</div>
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* How to Get There</div>
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* Climate</div>
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* Sightseeing and Things to do</div>
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Got a question?</div>
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Have a look through our Frequently asked questions</div>
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How to Get There</div>
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The island of Komodo is quite isolated, being some 400 km from Bali. We offer liveaboards which run from and return to Bali, so you do not need to be concerned with getting to Komodo.</div>
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If you choose to visit the area independently, the easiest way to reach Komodo is via Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores and Bima on Sumbawa - there are flights almost every day from Bali. For information on how to get to Bali, please visit our Bali tourist information section.</div>
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If you are booking a liveaboard trip through us, the dive boat operator will organise your domestic flights. Otherwise, Indonesia's domestic airlines do not have reliable websites so we advise customers to book domestic flights from Bali through our recommended ticketing agent:</div>
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Manado Safari Tours</div>
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Telephone: +62 431 857637</div>
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E-mail: info@ManadoSafaris.com</div>
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Skype name: jhbmanado</div>
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Manado Safari Tours make the reservations, have the tickets issued and delivered as e-tickets (by email) or upon arrival in Bali. They may also courier them to you, if this is your wish (extra charge applies). Dive The World has no involvement whatsoever with the booking arrangements, we simply recommend this ticketing agent due to their professionalism and reliability.</div>
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Climate</div>
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The very dry season is between April and December with the coolest months of July and August having an average temperature of 30°C. Rainy season is between January and March, but Komodo does not have torrential rain as in the rest of Indonesia, and is relatively dry and sunny all year round. The weather affects liveaboard dive charters only in certain areas at specific times of the year. You can dive in Komodo all year round. Please check our Komodo dive sites descriptions for more detailed information on diving seasons.</div>
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We recommend a visit during high season which is between April and December.</div>
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Sightseeing and Adventure</div>
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Komodo Dragons</div>
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Komodo dragon, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia</div>
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Komodo dragons are the largest member of the monitor lizard family. They grow over 50 years to 100 kg and almost 3m from head to tail tip. They use burrows to maintain their body temperature during the night, and bask in the sunlight to raise their temperature at dawn. They live off wild dear, pigs, buffalo and even horses, lying in wait and employing camouflage and ambush tactics.</div>
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There are now only approximately 1,100 dragons left in the park on Komodo Island, Rinca and Gili Motang, and outside the park area in eastern Flores.</div>
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In the 1990s they numbered only 3,300 so if you want to see the dragons before they fall the way of the dinosaurs, now is a good time to come.</div>
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Park entrance fee is a minimally small amount.</div>
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Interested?</div>
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If you're keen to dive some of the most awe-inspiring reefs in the world and catch a glimpse of the magnificent pre-historic dragons of Komodo before they walk this earth for the final time, then click below to check your options now for:</div>
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* Komodo Diving Sites</div>
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* Komodo liveaboards</div>
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Be sure to book in plenty of time to avoid limited choice! The best scuba diving opportunities are booked by repeat customers who book well in advance to ensure their reservation!</div>
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Source : http://www.dive-the-world.com/tourist-information-indonesia-komodo.php<br />
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Foto : Istimewa</div>
</span>Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-46753889652485166702007-04-03T02:27:00.000-07:002009-08-02T22:47:26.391-07:00King of the lizards<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbg9nmf1qQK_p0iXiUckNJdwKxpUA7i1mPrDJICTEY0omaZDbY61KpJ6DFQsAg95s1gn-ZNFkSeDUG9hQOs3tgqnTgo4Gfun5X4R5KXHs8S00jvW_rkW4h-kuis7QPn1raytUhiseXmbQ/s1600-h/komodo_inset.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbg9nmf1qQK_p0iXiUckNJdwKxpUA7i1mPrDJICTEY0omaZDbY61KpJ6DFQsAg95s1gn-ZNFkSeDUG9hQOs3tgqnTgo4Gfun5X4R5KXHs8S00jvW_rkW4h-kuis7QPn1raytUhiseXmbQ/s320/komodo_inset.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237506963538338722" border="0" /></a>There are over 3,000 lizard species, but the Komodo dragon wins the prize for being the biggest living lizard in the world! It is a type of monitor lizard, an ancient species of reptile with ancestors that date back more than 100 million years. These large lizards have stubby, bowed legs, clay-colored, scaly skin for great camouflage, and a huge, muscular tail. The yellow color of the Komodo’s long, forked tongue reminds people of mythical dragons that spit fire!<br /></div><br /><a href="http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-komodo.html">Read more</a>Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-15154125435144975722007-03-12T19:37:00.000-07:002019-10-15T17:21:52.260-07:00Komodo Island - The Lost World Was Found<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: arial;">Pulau Komodo (</span><b style="font-family: arial;">ComodoIsland</b><span style="font-family: arial;">) - By Kevin Alexandra, It's a remarkable place - a hothouse for evolution and home to an incredible array of marine life. Of the 500 or so coral species found in the Indo-Pacific, Komodo has 260. It harbours more than 1,000 species of fish and 70 species of sponge. Acre for acre, it is one of the most diverse coral reef environments in the world.</span></div>
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My journey began on the 42m Kararu, a traditional rigged sailing vessel which serves as an extremely spacious liveaboard. It operates from Bali, 160 miles to the west, but the journey to and from Komodo is punctuated by dive sites which are fascinating in their own right, and serve as a build-up to the world-class diving at Komodo and its neighbouring island, Rinca. My host was the boat's co-owner, Tony Rhodes, a Brit with an easy manner and a knack for spotting near-microscopic animals.</div>
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On an early dive at a site called Mentjang Wall, we were finning along in mid-water when Tony suddenly swooped down to the reef. I followed, squinting at the scrappy patch of coral to which he was pointing. At first nothing, then I could make out a tiny brownish nudibranch (of the Flabellinidae family). He had seen it from 10m away! Suspicious, I wondered if he had sneakily placed it there</div>
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when I wasn't looking, possibly inspired by Donald Pleasence's similar trick in The Great Escape.</div>
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As I was to discover, his spotting skills were quite genuine. While there are plenty of sizeable creatures to marvel at in Indonesia, the area does tend to attract divers with a penchant for the diminutive. These are rich seas, and there is a perpetual battle for space on the reefs. After just a few days, your eyes become familiar with the environment, so that semi-camouflaged critters begin to reveal themselves. Professional dive guides become finely attuned to this sort of diving.</div>
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Komodo National Park comprises the seas around the islands of Komodo, Rinca and Padar, and some smaller islands. It's a two-wetsuit trip: on the northern side of the islands, the water is warm, and most people dive comfortably with the thinnest of skins. Cool, nutrient-rich upwellings prevail on the southern side, where 5mm suits, hoods and gloves are the order of the day.</div>
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These islands act like a dam, holding back the warmer Pacific waters, which are then forced through various straits, creating a pressure void along the park's southern side. This allows cold water from the Sumba Sea to rise up, effectively replacing the water removed by the currents at the surface. With the cold water comes a bloom in phytoplankton, forming the basis of Komodo's super-charged food chain. It is a very, very special place indeed.</div>
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The results of these crazy upwellings are best experienced at Horseshoe Bay on Rinca's southern side. These are the most crowded reefs I have ever seen, but the payoff is low visibility caused by all those nutrients suspended in the water. Horseshoe Bay's famous site is a pinnacle known as Cannibal Rock (named after a monstrous Komodo dragon seen eating one of its own kind nearby), where dense swathes of black, yellow and red crinoids jostle for space.</div>
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It's a great place to test buoyancy skills, because crinoids stick to neoprene like glue; any contact whatsoever and you've got yourself a hitchhiker. Once, after taking head-on photographs of an implacable lizardfish, I looked down to find I had picked up two featherstars complete with clingfish and crinoid shrimps - a whole ecosystem! I guiltily set them back on the reef.</div>
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Just outside Horseshoe Bay is a fascinating site known as the Great Yellow Wall of Texas, renowned for its soft corals. Visibility here was reminiscent of British shore-diving standards, and the coral polyps were all retracted, so I hardly saw the reef in all its glory. Still, I could appreciate the sheer intensity of the place. Nestling among the crinoid forest were some fascinating animals, including brightly coloured sea apples, a spectacular member of the sea slug family. Tiny hawkfish nestled between the fronds of soft corals, while gobies darted around their tiny territories.</div>
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Night dives were even more atmospheric. The currents sweeping over Cannibal Rock were too much to cope with after dark, so we searched for night creatures in the shallows. At first glance, the sandy expanses were devoid of life, but a closer inspection revealed a wealth of nocturnal drama. Octopus each the size of a child's fist moved over the sand, extending their tentacles into tiny holes as they hunted for suitably small prey. Every now and then, they would retract their foraging limbs in pain, having received a nip from some hidden sand-dweller.</div>
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Inshore sites often serve as nurseries. I saw lots of tiny fish, including juvenile oriental sweetlips (flapping wildly like some out-of-control bumblebee) and a rockmover wrasse complete with protruding unicorn's horn. Photographers found the night dives to be the most productive of all, and some would sacrifice an afternoon dive to be alert for the evening.</div>
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The best night dive took place beyond Horseshoe Bay on a sandy slope near Banta Island. The site has a particularly cheesy name - 'It's a Small World' - which nevertheless hints at the macro wonders which have made it their home. I dropped in and descended 10m to what looked to be a lunar landscape, devoid of life. The gritty sand billowed briefly into the water column as I landed on the sea bed and looked down to see a skeletal face leering back with utter contempt.</div>
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It was a stargazer, a voracious lunge-predator whose stealth is rivalled only by its monumental ugliness. It buries itself in sand right up to its eyes, then waits for a suitable morsel to happen along. Ambush predators don't like being seen, and this one looked up at me with undisguised disgust as I gently fanned the sand away from its fearsome features. Eventually, the indignity of being exposed in this way proved too much; it launched itself off the sand and sped off into the darkness.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">I enjoy watching other divers at night. Despite the best intentions of the buddy system, there is something about the combination of shallow, current-free sites and diving by torchlight which internalizes the diving experience. Divers retreat into themselves, their attention focused chiefly on the thin column illuminated by their lights. I hovered behind a professional videographer, Roger Munns of Scubazoo (the film-making outfit based in Southeast Asia) fame, who had found a handsome red frogfish - okay, 'handsome' isn't a word often associated with frogfish, but we're talking 'eye of the beholder' here, okay?<br /><br />As he trained his video lights on the frogfish, the brightness attracted a small food chain. Driven by some inexplicable urge, tiny worms massed around the lights in writhing density. They in turn attracted the attention of some cardinalfish, which foolishly took the frogfish to be a lump of coral. They were soon disabused of this notion as the predator extended its jaws and sucked a hapless cardinalfish into its maw.<br /><br />This super-gulp is too fast to see. Later, watching Roger's footage on an iBook laptop, we studied the lunge frame by frame. You see the frogfish give a dainty little leap, and there is a slight blur around its mouth as it takes the fish, but the movement itself is too fast even for a professional-quality video recording in slow motion mode. Viewed at normal speed, the frogfish twitches slightly and the cardinalfish simply disappears.<br /><br />In addition to illustrating the efficiency of the frogfish's feeding mechanism, this episode revealed to me the depth of the cardinalfish's stupidity. The 'not exactly quick on the uptake' survivors kept returning to the lights, and the frogfish enjoyed a further six courses while the cardinalfish doubtless wondered where all their companions had gone. By the time I had sidled in to photograph the frogfish, it was noticeably bulkier and appeared to have a case of the hiccups.<br /><br />Providing a contrast to Komodo's macro dives is a great manta site off the island of Langkoi, a busy little channel where the graceful rays can be seen feeding on plankton-loaded water. Langkoi's mantas are among the biggest I have ever seen, some even approaching the legendary 6m mark.<br /><br />It was a pleasure to dispense with the hood and gloves when our boat Kararu returned to the balmy sites of the north. Here, I was presented with dizzyingly clear water and some classically beautiful reefs. There were plenty of reef fish, but I saw little in the blue, despite the preternatural clarity of the<br />water. Occasionally, schools of barracuda, jacks or bannerfish would appear, but there were no sharks or tuna. This is the case across much of these islands, where shark-finning has decimated reef shark populations over the past decade. Illegal shark fishing and even dynamite bombing still takes place in Komodo National Park, despite its protected status.<br /><br />Still, conservation efforts at Komodo - reinforced by the presence of tourism - have succeeded in preserving vast tracts of reef. These reefs have an additional importance which transcends the pleasure they give divers. The coral here is especially resilient to the effects of coral bleaching caused by factors such as global warming and El Niño. This is due to the upwelling effect of cooling water from the depths of the Sumba Sea.<br /><br />Marine biologists believe that as coral reef systems continue to be lost, it is places such as Komodo that will replenish and re-colonize devastated habitats elsewhere in Indonesia and the wider Indo-Pacific. The same currents which make life so difficult (if entertaining) for divers, carry coral larvae beyond the national park to places where reef space is available. In this sense, Komodo is a mother among coral reefs, and one we should all cherish.<br /><br />• Simon Rogerson dived with Kararu Dive Voyages. Charters are available for trips of different duration, but the standard Komodo tour takes 11 days. Trips to the remote reefs of Alor and Rajah Empat are also available. For further information, contact UK agents Divequest on 01254 826322 or check out Kararu's website, http://www.kararu.com.<br /><br />The world's easiest wreck dive?<br /><br />No diver should visit Bali without diving the wreck of the Liberty, a First World War-era cargo ship which lies off the beach at the village of Tulamben on the nortwest coast. The Liberty grounded itself on this beach after being torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942, and stayed there until 1963 when the Agung volcano exploded, pushing her into the water and splitting the hull in<br />two.<br /><br />Today, the wreckage sits on black volcanic sand at a diver-friendly 27m, providing a home for a prodigious amount of marine life. It pained me not to include the Liberty in DIVE's recent rundown of the world's best wrecks, but the truth is that this is a wreck dive for divers who don't like wrecks.<br /><br />The structure of the wreck is undeniably impressive, but the resident marine life steals the show. There is a school of jacks which regularly form the classic spiral shoaling formation, and tame reef fish abound (they've been fed, and approach divers with feverish enthusiasm).<br /><br />The wreck is coated in coral, and sought-after macro subjects such as the pygmy seahorse can be reliably found. It has to be one of the world's best shore dives, but what makes it so ludicrously easy is the presence of a local co-operative which charges a small amount for access to the shore, then carries your BC and cylinder to the entry point.<br /><br />What makes all this slightly shameful is the fact that the co-operative is made up of local women, most of whom are slightly built and less than five feet tall! They can carry two sets of kit at a time for the ten-minute walk over the pebble beach! On their heads!<br /><br />I couldn't bring myself to let them carry my gear, but my guide warned me that it would be seen as unforgivably patronizing not to let them do their job. So, I hobbled over the beach behind my petite kit-bearer praying to the Balinese gods that no one would recognize me.<br /><br />I'm 28 years old, webmaster in cruises company and manage http://www.divingseasafari.com and http://www.seasafaricruises.com. I live in Bali, the paradise island in Indonesia. Your travelling nit complete before you go to Bali and Indonesia archipelago. Explore all in my sites.<br /><br />Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Alexandra</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Foto : Istimewa</span></div>
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Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2585259501747121032.post-56895192960884527682007-03-04T17:34:00.000-08:002009-08-02T22:49:27.289-07:00KOMODO NATIONAL PARK<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_DKJwn6dvuj4eRu-oShGx-NLjOAVuERHk_Bphy6agCYllqBrGWcQeRveQJ-31lR96stdCGGcIZ8cVr2JJEUkHrWi_VaXe4ngKllXaDZ6k3kz5TaoxDN4u4SIrGw-kCQG01rUGkz-DO8/s1600-h/komododragon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_DKJwn6dvuj4eRu-oShGx-NLjOAVuERHk_Bphy6agCYllqBrGWcQeRveQJ-31lR96stdCGGcIZ8cVr2JJEUkHrWi_VaXe4ngKllXaDZ6k3kz5TaoxDN4u4SIrGw-kCQG01rUGkz-DO8/s320/komododragon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237505567866202418" border="0" /></a>Lying 200 nautical miles east of Bali, Komodo National Park nestles between the large islands of Sumbawa and Flores, all of which are part of Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands (Nusa Tenggara on current maps). This unique biosphere was born in the great volcanic uplift that formed Sumatra, Java, Bali and the islands lying eastward to Papua New Guinea. In 1928 the Dutch colonial government of the then Dutch East Indies formalized the nature reserve status originally conferred on Komodo in 1915 by the Raja of Biwa in neighbouring Sumbawa. Indonesia decreed the area a national park in 1980, and in 1992 Komodo was declared a World Heritage Site. Despite these official designations and its obvious interest to the scientific community, Komodo is daily suffering irreparable damage by the hand of man. Almost before the world can properly appreciate the natural beauty of Komodo - home of the Komodo Dragon - its wonders are in danger of disappearing forever. It is disturbing that so little has changed since the declaration of Douglas Burden, leader of the 1926 American expedition to Komodo:<br /></div><a href="http://www.komodo-gateway.org/"><br />Read more</a>Comodo Islandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452299444146330829noreply@blogger.com0