Komodo National Park (KNP) was establishing on March 6th 1980 by Indonesian Government. This park also designated as a Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1986 and as a World Heritage Site in 1991 by UNESCO. Administratively, the park included in Komodo Sub district, West Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. Geographically, the park lies between Flores Island (East Nusa Tenggara) and Sumbawa Island (West Nusa Tenggara).
KNP covers about 173.300 hectares (669 square miles); with more than 2/3 of part is marine area. Five largest islands are Komodo, Rinca, Padar, Gili Motang, and Nusa Kode, with most of its topography is mountainous. The highest peaks are Ara (808 m asl) and Satalibo (726 m asl). The weather is dry; with average annual rainfall about 500-1000 mm. Rainy season occurs during January to April, the rest is dry season. In the rainy season you’ll see almost everything’s green, but in the dry season almost everything’s brown. These different views of landscape give you different wild experience. The picture above is a view of Loh Liang (Liang Bay), Komodo Island.
Komodo National Park has many biodiversity such as terrestrial and marine wildlife which inhabited in this park that you can explore. More than 240 species of terrestrial plants (palms, tamarind, orchids, mangroves, etc.) live in the park. The park is also be the habitat of 16 species of mammals (Timor deer Cervus timorensis; wild buffalo Buballus bubalis; wild boar Sus scrofa; long-tailed macaque Macacca fascicularis; rat Komodomys rinjanus; giant rat Papagomys armandvellei; etc.) , more than 100 species of birds (orange-footed megapod Megapodius reinwardt; yellow-crested cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea; friar bird Philemon buceroides; white-bellied sea-eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster; black-napped oriole Oriolus chinensis; etc.), 34 species of reptiles (monitor Varanus salvator; cobra Naja naja; green-tree viper Trimeresurus abolabris; Russel viper Vipera russeli; gecko Gekko gecko; flying gecko Draco volans; etc.), and 3 kind of frogs (Kaloula baleata). You can explore the terrestrial wildlife by trekking as you can explore the marine wildlife by snorkeling or diving. There are more than 1000 species of marine fishes, about 260 species of hard corals, 70 species of sponges, and many other invertebrates’ life. This park also be a home for 3 kind of sea turtle i.e. green turtle Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, Dermochelys coriacea. If you get the right season, you’ll meet whales, dolphins, or dugong (Dugong dugon). The picture above is a male dragon, was taken from Loh Dasami, Rinca Island.
There are 3 villages in the park i.e. Komodo village in Komodo island, Pasir Panjang village (Rinca and Kerora) in Rinca Island, and Papagaran village in Papagaran island. Most of the people are fisherman, as you can see lots of boat (motor boat, bagan) in front of their village.
Komodo National Park has 2 main gateway for terrestrial ecotourism activity i.e. Loh Liang in Komodo island and Loh Buaya in Rinca island. There are many dive sites in the park for snorkeling and diving such as Pantai Merah (Red beach), Batu Bolong, Tatawa, Gililawa, Loh Dasami, Manta Alley, Batu Tiga, Cannibal Rock, Crystal Rock, and many more. The picture above is the jetty and the entrance gate for tourism activity at Loh Liang, Komodo Island.
The pictures below are some of the wildlife that inhabit in Komodo National Park (juvenile white sea eagle, wild flower, Vanda limbata orchid, and Nautilus shell)
