One of the most fascinating, and also threatened, animals that exist on Earth is the Komodo dragon. This large reptile has the title of being considered the largest living lizard on the planet. However, due to different causes, including human activity, it is currently in danger of extinction, so it is necessary to take the necessary actions to protect it and make the populations that still exist to prosper. If you want to know why the Komodo dragon is in danger of extinction, and learn a little more about this fascinating animal, keep reading Green Ecology and we will tell you about it.
What is the Komodo dragon?
The Komodo dragon, also known as the monster or Komodo monitor, is a sauropsid reptile indigenous to some islands of central Indonesia. It is undoubtedly the larger current lizard, which makes it located at the top of the food chain of its ecosystem. However, this lizard feeds mainly on carrion, which makes it one of the scavengers. Although this does not imply that it cannot hunt small animals in certain circumstances, such as insects, mollusks or even small rodents.
When they hatch, because they are the most vulnerable lizards, they usually live in the branches of trees, safe from other predators, including adults of their own species. However, when they reach maturity, they are large animals that can reach up to 70 kilos of weight, and that they can reach live to age 50 about.
Like snakes, they use their tongue to detect odors, which, together with a particularly acute sense of hearing, makes them very effective and dangerous predators for their prey. Usually prefer hot and dry places. Due to this, although their habitat is some islands of Indonesia, they are usually always found in the innermost areas, near meadows and areas devoid of trees, which makes it easier for them to hunt their prey.
Why is the Komodo dragon in danger of extinction?
The Komodo dragon is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Currently, the number of individuals in the wild is approximately limited to about 5,000, spread over five Indonesian islands, of which Komodo itself and the island of Flores are the ones that contain the most number of specimens.
The problem that the Komodo dragon is in extinction is mainly due to the human action. In this sense, the Destruction of their habitat it is the main problem they have to face. Human activities, both in relation to the urbanization of large areas of Indonesia, as well as the destruction of its natural ecosystem in order to turn the territories into cultivated fields, condition the survival of the Komodo lizard.
In addition, it must be taken into account that, due to this destruction of their natural habitat, reduces the amount of food available for these animals. This raises a double problem. On the one hand, the very absence of food so that populations can prosper adequately. On the other, the displacement of Komodo lizards to other places in search of the food they lack. Consequently, many times they end up reaching populated areas, with the consequent problems between humans and komodo lizards That this entails.
Komodo National Park
Due to the emergency caused by the rapid deterioration of Komodo dragon populations in the 20th century, on March 6, 1980 the Komodo National Park. The fundamental objective of this ecological reserve was the creation of a protection environment for Komodo dragon that would prevent its extinction and encourage the increase of individuals of this species in their natural environment.
Later, and in view of the good results that the creation of the National Park entailed, the protection of this park was also extended to other species of fauna and flora native to the area. In addition, protection was also extended to some maritime areas of the coast of special ecological wealth due to their particular biodiversity.
At present, the Komodo National Park is a World Heritage Site and one of the most protected and best preserved environmental zones in Indonesia, which has been the most important step in the protection and conservation of the Komodo dragon in its natural state to date.
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