Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) Fact Sheet: Population & Conservation Status

Global estimate

• Approximately 3,500 individuals, including adults and juveniles (Jessop et al. 2021)
  • Approximately 1,400 mature individuals (all island populations combined)
    • Approximately 400 mature females

Estimates by population

• Two-thirds of global individuals occur on Komodo and Rinca Islands (Jessop et al. 2021)
• Komodo National Park
  • About 2,450 individuals (Purwandana et al. 2014; data from 2011-2012; Jessop et al. 2021)
• Rinca Island (Jessop et al. 2021)
  • About 1,100-1,500 individuals
    • About 500 adults
  • Largest subpopulation
• Komodo Island
  • Similar but lower populations to Rinca Island (Jessop et al. 2021)
• Gili Motang Island
  • Fewer than 100 individuals (Jessop et al. 2021)
• Nusa Kode Island
  • Fewer than 100 individuals (Jessop et al. 2021)
• Flores Island (Purwandana et al. 2014; data from 2011-2012)
  • No recent estimates (though population monitoring conducted by Ariefiandy et al. 2015)
  • About 100 on W. Flores (Wae Waul Reserve)
  • About 2,000 scattered in non-protected areas
• Padar and North West Flores
  • Very small populations: fewer than 10 individuals (Jessop et al. 2021)

IUCN Status

• Endangered (2019 assessment) (Jessop et al. 2021)
  • Status changed from Vulnerable to Endangered in 2021: occurs in small, isolated populations and island habitat impacted by climate change
    • Rate of population decline from 2010 to 2050 may exceed 30% due to rising temperatures and sea levels
  • Fewer than 1,400 mature individuals occur in 8 subpopulations
    • Komodo and Rinca Island population sizes stable or increasing; some other subpopulations declining (e.g., Flores Island)

CITES

• Appendix I (UNEP 2018)

Other designations

• Protected under Indonesian law (1931, 1990) and a ministerial decree (1991)

• Population found in Komodo National Park is relatively stable. But on Flores, the population is more at risk for decline (Jessop et al. 2021).
•  Habitat destruction and fragmentation (Ariefiandy et al. 2021)
  •  From logging, clearing for agriculture, and expansion of human settlements
    • Notable declines in Flores populations due to logging (Ariefiandy et al. 2021)
      • 44% range area contraction over 5 years on Flores Island
  • Forest fires started by poachers to flush out prey
  • Dynamite and cyanide poisoning used to collect fish for food has disturbed population
• Illegal trafficking (Gokkon 2019)
  • High demand for Komodo dragons as exotic pets
  • Up to 98% of transactions made over social media sites
• Food competition with feral dogs
• Poaching of prey species by humans (Ariefiandy et al. 2021)
  • Deer, wild boar 
• Effects of global warming (Jones et al. 2020)
  • Ecological changes reduce prey availability
  • Loss/degradation of preferred habitats (e.g., lowland deciduous forests)
  • Loss of habitat due to rising sea levels
• Risks to small, geographically limited populations
  • Population occurs in eight subpopulations, each with fewer than 500 individuals (Jessop et al. 2021)
  • Sensitive to fluctuations in environmental conditions, disease susceptibility, inbreeding, and genetic drift
• Deposition of volcanic ash can destroy vegetation and alter habitat

First European observations

• 1920: Komodo dragon first documented by Europeans
  • Described as "land crocodiles"
  • Peter Ouwens, director of the zoological museum at Bogor, Java, publishes scientific work after receiving a photo, skin, and two specimens from a collector (Ouwens 1912)
• 1926: Burden expedition (sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History)
  • First 2 live Komodo dragons brought to the U.S. (Barnard 2011)
  • Housed at the Bronx Zoo
  • Komodo dragon became a celebrity species
    • Garnered much publicity and press coverage
    • Many people came to see the rare animal
  • Dutch authorities received many requests for specimens to display and study

Early protections

• Dutch authorities limit island access and implement export controls in the 1920s and 1930s (Barnard 2011)
  • Late 1920s
    • Dutch governing bodies further restrict access to islands where Komodo dragons found and pass ordinances to protect wildlife
    • Many expeditions denied access to collect Komodo dragons. Granted permission only on rare occasions through diplomatic channels.
  • 1937
    • Areas on Komodo and Rinca Islands designated reserves
  • 1938
    • Ban on all ships landing on Komodo Island
    • Ban on export of any Komodo dragons and their body parts

• 1980: Komodo National Park established
  • 3 major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Gilli Motang, plus many smaller islands
    • 173,300 hectares
  • 1984: first management unit
  • 1986: Declared a man and biosphere reserve
  • 1991: Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site
  • Increased protection from ecotourism (Ardiantiono et al., 2018)
    • Elevates supervision in protected areas
    • Economic value motivates local communities to protect Komodo dragons
• Komodo National Park conservation efforts (many initiated by park administration)
  • Support and training for community members, teachers, and students
    • Tour guide training
    • Annual census project
    • Infrastructure support (e.g., rebuilding of Wae Wuul ranger post)
    • Environmental education program in schools (Kamil et al. 2020)
  • Community involvement
    • Community members patrol reserve areas (Ariefiandy et al. 2015) to reduce poaching as well as assess Komodo and prey populations
    • Assessments of local knowledge and attitudes; incorporate belief structures into management protocols (Forth 2010)
      • Also see Cultural History
• Other proposed protections
  • Tourists encouraged to register with well-managed tour operations (Jakarta Post, Sept. 18, 2020)
    • Also reduction in number of tourists allowed
  • Extension of KNP boundaries to include 2 additional islands
  • Limit population growth of certain villages on Rinca and Komodo Islands

CBSG (1995)
Hudson et al. (1994)