WHAT IT IS A fearsome creature with prehistoric credentials
WHY YOU WON’T DO IT Death by Komodo is a slow and gruesome process
Often nicknamed ‘the land crocodile’, the Komodo dragon is actually a giant monitor lizard, but it’s still not the sort of creature that you want to bump into up a dark alley. Fortunately, there’s little chance of that unless you are on one of a small number of Indonesian islands – but how would you cope in a chance encounter?
Native to the Southeast Asian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami, the Komodo (Varanus komodoensis) has been wandering the earth for upwards of 4 million years. Today there are about 4,000 animals left. They can grow to more than 3 metres (10 ft) long, and weigh in at more than 100 kilograms (220 lb). A yellow forked tongue is one of their most distinctive features, and key to their remarkable sense of smell – their primary weapon in sniffing out dinner.
Although able to sprint fast over short distances, dragons are ambush predators, preferring to lie in stealth before launching a sudden attack on prey that can range from wild boar and buffalo to snakes and birds. Having lunged with great speed, the Komodo grabs its victim between powerful jaws lined with serrated, shark-like teeth. Often the prey will survive the initial attack, but even if it escapes, it is almost certainly doomed by the dragon’s first deep bite. For many years, the potency of this bite was attributed to a cocktail of bacteria in its saliva, so the 2009 discovery that Komodos are actually venomous came as something of a surprise. It’s now clear that a dragon’s toxic bite causes a rapid drop in blood pressure, prevents blood clotting and swiftly sends the victim into shock. Thereafter, the dragon will happily track its victim over long distances and for several days if necessary, wearing it down. As other dragons get the scent of the dying animal, a crowd may gather to feast on the carcass.
Fortunately, fatal attacks on humans are rare. An eight-year-old boy killed in 2007 was the first recorded death in 33 years. Nevertheless, a hungry dragon will sometimes launch an unprovoked attack on a human – and more attacks happen on Rinca than any other island. Dragons can run at speeds of 20 kilometres per hour (12 mph) and are also strong swimmers, limiting your chances of escape. Instead, you may have to stand and fight, so it’s worth keeping a weapon such as a knife close at hand in danger areas. If you are attacked, stab at the creature repeatedly in the hope that it decides you’re too much trouble.
If the Komodo manages to bite you, you’ll need immediate medical attention. Assuming you haven’t turned up alone, your tour company should have the drugs needed to treat you at once. You’ll then need to get to a hospital as soon as possible. Although people do survive attacks, the wounds are likely to be very serious.
All in all, it’s best to avoid being caught in an ambush in the first place. The Komodo favours lingering out of sight amid bushes and long grass, so if you are in this sort of environment, stay vigilant. Don’t go into dragon territory without a local guide – island natives know how to live side by side with the animals, but you don’t. So follow your guide’s instructions to the letter.
A trained guide is likely to carry a forked stick to fight off predators, and may also throw rocks to encourage them to leave – a reasonable tactic if confronted by one or two of the beasts, but ineffective for larger numbers. Meanwhile, you should just stay calm and quiet, and stick with your tour group – when it comes to dragons, there’s safety in numbers.
If you do fend off one attack, don’t get complacent – Komodos are resilient and may well come back for another go (possibly with reinforcements). If you are fortunate enough to escape once, count your blessings and head straight out of the area.
