Tracking Komodo dragons, the last dinosaurs

Text and photos by Mulkan Salmona

KOMODO ISLAND (JP): The path in the Loh Buaya area of the Komodo National Park winds away into the distance. Thick foliage and dry twigs on both sides form a tunnel to pass through. It is quite a long, but even walk before the more difficult section, which leads us to the valley. Our guide, one of the park's wardens, walks in front, a stick with a split end never leaving his hand. His eyes forever watchful for any suspicious movements around him.

"Look, up there, on the hill. That's quite a biggy", Pak Agus, the guide, exclaims.

We raise our eyes toward the hill, and there is a Komodo dragon, or varanus komodoensis, its huge reptilian neck jutting out.

According to Pak Agus, who has worked as a park warden for several years, the Komodo is a very cunning animal, and a master in trickery, especially in hunting down prey. It never chases food, and avoids physical contact. Instead, the komodo uses tricks -- like playing dead, or faking the look of a fallen tree or log along animal trails -- to stalk its preys of buffalo, deer or boar.

The Komodo will ambush its prey, making sure to attack the vital parts of the target, such as the legs. Once it wounds a victim, it will not kill it, but let it run. The Komodo's highly sensitive sense of smell will enable it to go after the wounded creature, no matter where it runs or hides. It will only feast after the wounded animal stops running or moving. A Komodo usually shares a kill with other Komodos who join in the stalk.

Pak Agus has barely finished his story when he suddenly shouts, "Watch out !" Most leap backwards. Looking up, there is a Komodo sauntering past us. It is about one-and-a-half meters long. The camera shoots, but there's no time to lose.

The cool morning air suddenly turns hot, although the time shows it's only 8:30 a.m. The journey continues and along the trail there are often buffalo or deer carcasses. The sight is quite unnerving and caution is called for.

After about 500 meters there is a giant Komodo slumbering under a huge tree. Cameras move into action again. Though on hearing the noise from the cameras, and people excitedly talking, the beast opens its eyes and slowly backs away, until it eventually disappears behind thick bushes.

Drenched in sweat, everyone follows the path that leads down the hill, whistling to the tune of singing birds in the trees.

"Hey, look at that tiny Komodo. How cute !" yells Susanti, one of the reporters in our group, in her classical Javanese accent.

In the direction she points all eyes immediately fall on a young Komodo, strutting, its tongue sticking out. The camera shoots, unaware of how fast the animal can move. The dragon is very close now, and distance between us and it is hastily made while it vanishes behind the bushes.

The heat steadily increases on the ceaseless journey toward its zenith, and it's time to return to base camp at Loh Buaya. Enough Komodo watching for today.

Arriving at camp about 10:30 a.m., while walking past a warden's house, there's a couple of giant Komodos taking refuge under the structure, trying to avoid the punishing heat from the blazing sun. Perhaps due to familiarity with tourists and locals alike, the animals do not seem bothered by our presence.

According to Pak Agus, the two Komodos are among the oldest in Loh Buaya and have become quite friendly with humans.

But that doesn't mean they are tame. "Komodos are difficult to tame," he warns with a smile.

A large group of trees affords rest under the shady green. Soon, a motorboat will take us to the Sea Safari, a traditional phinisi boat which has been our base camp during the trip to the Komodo National Park. The trip was organized by The Nature Conservancy, an international non-governmental organization which provides assistance with efforts to preserve Komodo National Park.

The following day, after several hours in the motorboat, we arrive at the Loh Liang area of the Komodo National Park in the southern part of Komodo Island. Not far from Loh Liang is a fishing village, also called Komodo, and some people from the group visit the village. It only takes 10 minutes in the boat to get there, and the village head and some tribal leaders are met. They discuss various issues, including village development, health problems and human resources development, until an hour later we return to Loh Liang, and a warden takes us on a tour around the park.

More relaxed this time. The path is more even, with few obstacles. At Banu Nggunung, a site considered dangerous because of the high number of Komodos roaming the area, it's noticed we're not the first visitors. The Komodo watch area, surrounded by wooden fences, is already crowded with earlier visitors, busy taking pictures with their cameras or handycams from behind the fences. They are not allowed to go outside the fences, because once they do, they risk being prey to the beasts.

A hectic day is over and more than complete. Sleep is now the most important thing on the agenda, and after storing equipment and lying down on the sofa, the strange, sometimes terrifying world of the Komodo slowly fades away into delightful slumber.