In the Komodo National Park on Rinca Island in eastern Indonesia, the natural home of the largest lizard in the world, a komodo dragon attacked two rangers.
The BBC and ABC (February
6, 2013) are reporting that a park ranger was sitting at his desk when a two-metre-long
(7 foot) komodo dragon entered the office. They can grow up to three metres and
weigh about 70 kilograms – the weight of large human. Alarmed, the 50-year-old
ranger, who had been attacked by one in 2009, jumped onto his chair, which
startled the lizard. It grabbed the ranger’s leg and took a bite.
The lizard’s long,
strong claws, its sharp teeth, and the venomous bite would have inflicted a painful
and serious wound. The article indicated that the venom could cause paralysis
and spasms, while the loss of blood could induce shock. Another ranger, aged
35, heard the calls for help, but the lizard attacked him too, and took a bite
at his leg. The two men are in hospital with stitches in their leg wounds, and
are being monitored for any developing infections.
It is rare for Komodo dragons to attack humans, but there have been some reported cases. In the Komodo National Park, the lizards (and other animals) roam freely. Indonesia is the natural habitat of Komodo dragons, and a number of zoological gardens throughout the world have a conservation program to ensure the continuation of the species.
Martina Nicolls is the
author of The Komodo Verses: Dragon Poems.
MARTINA NICOLLSis an international aid and development consultant, and the authorof:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom(2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
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