Komodo dragon  (Varanus komodoensis)

The population of Komodo dragons today is estimated to be a mere fraction of its size 50 years ago (4). Causes of this decline are widespread habitat loss throughout the region, a loss of prey species and hunting (4). No Komodo dragons have been seen on the island of Padar since the 1970s, the result of widespread poaching of the deer that constitute their chief prey source (5).

Komodo and surrounding islands lie within the Komodo National Park (5). Law has protected these dragons since the 1930s (4), and international trade is prohibited by their listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) (3). An important tourist trade has sprung-up around these spectacular creatures, bringing over 18,000 visitors to the area each year; it is hoped that this economic incentive will help to safeguard the future of these awesome dragons (5).