By Timur Abimanyu, SH.

MH

KOMODO CLASSIFY AS ANIMALS ARE STILL LIVING IN ANCIENT STATE OF INDONESIA AND SCARCE CATEGORY ANIMALS ENDANGERED

KOMODO Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) including the world's largest reptiles. These animals can reach a length of 3 meters or more body and weight above 70 kg. Its main prey is deer, but he also ate forest Babai, buffalo, horses, long-tailed monkeys, dogs, goats, turtle eggs and bird eggs, birds and other small animals. Young animals also eat insects. He prefers to eat carrion, and are cannibals (eat members of their own species). Airliur Komodo dragons are very septic and animals usually die within a week due to blood poisoning after being bitten. Komodo dragons use smell to find prey instructions, and usually block or attack a sleeping animal. If they can not kill their prey immediately, they will follow the prey is bitten and wait until he weakened and died. They were able to eat up to 80% of body weight and eat well when there is a chance. Large enough to digest the food it takes about a week.

A conservative estimate of the number of metabolic pointed out that young animals need to eat about 55 g daily, and adult animals of about 610 g per day (B. Gree, D. King, M. Braysher, Saim A, 1991, Comp.Biochem.Physiol. In Komodo PHVA 1995). There is no clear breeding season

(copulation observed to occur in most of the year), but they seem to avoid the rainy season. Females lay eggs about 15-30 seeds (average 18.07) in a nest made of sand or dried leaves once a year; the largest egg-Agusuts there in September. Sometimes, the females lay eggs in the nests of birds singed. Gestation period of about 8 months and the nest is maintained only during the first months only.

After hatching in March-April, an independent young animals, despite its small size (average 80.3 g and 30.4 cm length) and spent most of his time in the trees to avoid predation by adult dragons, wild dogs and pigs. This strategy also allows the young Komodo dragon to obtain food such as bird eggs, young birds, insects, lizards, etc.. without the need to compete with adult animals. Komodo dragon typically take refuge in the woods at night, or in culverts, and appears to sunbathe in the sun (to regulate body temperature) in the pasture during the day. Often found in the lowlands, often near the coast, but also occupy higher elevations.

Population on the island of Komodo is estimated around 1061 head in 1998, down from 1722 in 1997 (Table 2.1). Additional data are needed to verify that the large fluctuations in population size is not due to differences / accuracy of the method used. The decline appears to be caused by high mortality in young and adolescent animals. On the island of Rinca, the entire population was estimated at 1344. Auffenberg in 1970 estimated the population size is 2348 on the island of Komodo and Rinca Island 792, with a tail of about 5713 spread across the region (including Flores). (Auffenberg, 1981 in Komodo Dragon PHVA, 1995). Because of different methodology, direct comparisons can not be held between the two data sets.

At that time (1970) sex ratio of adult males: adult females is approximately 3,4:1. It is very difficult to distinguish males and females, at several scales males arrayed prekloakalnya rosette forming rough. This pattern was not seen in females. A more reliable method to determine the sex of the animals is based on genetic markers. The data recently obtained by Claudio Ciofi conclude that there are important genetic differences between populations of this species on the island of Komodo and Rinca Island. Rinca 22 affiliated closely with Flores and Gili Motang. Surveii-recent survey conducted by Claudio Ciofi, Keep Wana and a student from the University of Udayana in Padar did not find evidence of this species, and it seems they suffered local extinction in this place. =========== By Timur Abimanyu, SH.MH Animals dragons are ancient animal species, which evolved from ancient times and the only descendant of ancient animals that exist in the world, who would become extinct. The existence of animals that live on the island of Komodo in Indonesia are in need of State assistance from the World International to maintain its sustainability. Who wants to give assistance for the life of these ancient animals ?