A Komodo dragon in southern Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province attacked a 50-year-old tourist.
Mr Lon Lee Alle, who was in West Manggarai, a regency in Indonesia’s southernmost province of East Nusa Tenggara, was severely injured after getting bitten on his left leg.
Native to a small group of Indonesian islands, Komodo dragons are the world’s largest lizards and have venomous bites. On his visit to the Komodo National Park, Mr Alle was initially watching several Komodos eating pigs and goats belonging to villagers. However, after repeated warnings, he approached the animals to take pictures. Komodo National Park chief Sudiyono told that Komodo doesn’t like to be disturbed when eating and was continuously warned by the locals not to go too close to the animal.
Locals immediately helped pull Mr Alle away from the Komodos and rushed him to the nearby medical centre where he was treated with first aid.
Mr Sudiyono said this is the first incident of human being bitten by a Komodo dragon in the past five years. He also added that the incident took place away from the area set for the tourists to observe Komodos. However, this Singaporean tourist had stayed with locals for three days to save costs.
Adding to the warning, he urged the tourists not to risk ones safety by staying with locals and watching Komodos without an official guide only for the sake of lower budget.