Komodo Dragons: 10 Things You Need to Know + How to See Them

According to an ancient legend, two brothers named Tupat and Sumba were helped by a giant lizard while on a journey to find food and water. The villagers believed the lizard shared a special bond with humans, acting as a protector.

To this day, Komodo dragons are seen not just as fierce predators, but also as guardians and distant relatives, especially by the indigenous Ata Modo tribe on Komodo Island, and remain greatly respected in Indonesian culture.

One of the most surprising Komodo dragon fact is that adult Komodo dragons are known to prey on their own young, which is why hatchlings spend their first two years living in trees for safety. To avoid being eaten, they even cover themselves in faeces to mask their scent!

Komodo dragons are carnivores and apex predators that prey on Timor deer, carrion, wild boar, water buffalo, and even juvenile Komodo dragons. Their stomach expands easily, allowing them to consume up to 80% of their body weight in one meal — that’s the equivalent of a human eating over 250 burgers!

Who needs men? When there no males are around, female Komodo dragons can reproduce through parthenogenesis, a process where they fertilise their own eggs. However, this method only produces male offspring.

For years, scientists believed Komodo dragon bites were so deadly because of their bacteria-filled mouths. But in 2009, it was discovered that they actually have venom glands that release toxins, preventing clotting and lowering blood pressure.

This means their prey bleeds out slowly from blood loss, and dies from shock as they bite down with their serrated teeth and swing it from side-to-side.

Although Komodo dragons have an excellent sense of smell, aided by their Jacobson's organ (also known as the vomeronasal organ), visiting Komodo or Rinca Island during your menstrual period is safe, as long as you listen to your guide and maintain a safe distance.

Komodo dragons can grow up to three meters long (about the size of a small car) in their lifespan of 30 years and weigh up to 70 kg on average. The heaviest recorded Komodo dragon weighed 166 kg — about the same as a panda! They can also run up to 19 km/h and swim between islands for hours (thanks to their muscular tail) in search of food.

Specifically, on five Indonesian islands — Komodo, Rinca, Gili Motang, Gili Dasami (all part of Komodo National Park), and Flores. These islands offer a mix of tropical forest and savanna landscapes, creating the perfect environment for these large dragons.

The only way to see them is on a guided trek on Komodo or Rinca Island, accessible via a Seek Sophie Komodo boat trip from Labuan Bajo. Here’s everything you need to know on how to get to Komodo National Park.

These Seek Sophie boat trips range from a day trip speedboat to a 3D2N liveaboard. Both cover all the usual highlights like trekking with Komodo Dragons, seeing a Pink Beach, hiking to the viewpoint at Padar island and some snorkelling.

Komodo Island is larger and more wild, and is the only inhabited island in the park, home to the indigenous Ata Modo people.

Rinca Island has higher density of dragons and is also more manicured, with boardwalks for visitors.

The Komodo dragon is part of an ancient lineage that has existed for millions of years. Fossils found in Australia, dating back 300,000 to 4 million years ago, are identical to present-day Komodo dragons!

In 2021, the IUCN Red List reclassified Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) as an Endangered species due to habitat destruction and climate change like rising sea levels.

Only around 1,400 mature Komodo dragons remain in the wild. To protect them, Komodo National Park, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has strict conservation efforts, including anti-poaching patrols and community education programs.