Komodo National Park

The best way to see the Komodo Archipelago,and Komodo National Park, (as with most of Indonesia), is from the safety and comfort of your liveaboard vessel. When you travel with us we will visit the established park facilities and less frequented destinations. There are plenty of activites and destinations to explore. Following is a brief natural history of the Komodo National Park.

Komodo is situated 200 nautical miles (370 Km's) east of Bali between the islands of Flores and Sumbawa. Komodo's symbol of international fame is it's dragons, the world's largest living lizard. Indonesia declared the area a National Park in 1980, and in 1992 Komodo was declared a World Heritage Site. It covers 239,000 Hectares including 75,000 Hectares of land on 4 major and numerous minor islands.

As with most of Indonesia, Komodo rises up from a volcanic chain, wedged between two great continents. This string of volcanic islands makes up the south western reaches of what is known as the "Ring of Fire". Both above and below the sea, Komodo represents a unique range of geological and biological diversity. On shore it is an amazing museum diorama of the Mesozoic era - dry tundra and reptilian supremacy.
In addition to the world famous Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis), the larger inhabitants are Buffalo, Rusu Deer, Monkeys, Pigs, and horses. Further down the scale indigenous frogs, snakes and lizards abound on the island. Not to forget the endemic aptly named Komodo Rat. Over 150 species of birds have been identified in Komodo National Park, many of which are migratory and more representative of Australasian than Asiatic species. Distinctive species include megapodes, yellow-crested cockatoos, imperial pigeons, white-breasted sea eagles and maleos.

With the lowest rainfall in Indonesia, Komodo's Fauna and Flora are more similar to an Australian landscape than the lush tropical environment typical of Bali. Sheer cliff faces, and steep rocky mountains reaching high above the horizon give it a forboding and unforgiving appearance. In stark contrast the deserted pink sand beaches invite travellers to venture ashore and explore the hills and foreshores of these mostly uninhabited islands. Dry and sunburnt for most of the year, after the monsoonal rains the hills are transformed with a thick soft blanket of verdant green grass. Mist filled valleys cut deep into the heart of the islands. Heavily wooded and with a microclimate of their own they host and are home to the greatest concentrations of wildlife. The exposed hills and highlands are sparsely wooded fields of savanah grassland. They support herds of grazing species. Rusa deer (Cervus timorensis), wild buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), wild boar ((Sus scrofa), the macaque monkey (Macaca fascicularis), and wild horse (Equus qaballus) roam the hills. Conscious of the ever present threat of the predatory dragons.
Source : nationalpark.na.funpic.org