Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang
Officers at Komodo National Park in West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara, have relocated six Komodo dragons to nearby Sabita island after one of the animals mauled a boy to death earlier this month, a police official said Thursday.
West Manggarai Police chief Comr. Butje Hello said by phone from Labuan Bajo that the relocation of the giant dragons had been approved by Forestry Minister MS Kaban and Komodo National Park chairman Tameon Sitorus.
"The removal was conducted last week with the aim of preventing any other dragon from attacking human beings in the future," Butje said.
One of the dragons killed a nine-year-old boy when he was going to the toilet in a bush on Komodo island.
Tameon said that the removal of the beasts was aimed at separating them from human settlements as the Komodos would go wherever they smelled meat.
"They can smell for a radius of 12 kilometers so they are very dangerous to the nearby villagers," he said.
Altogether an estimated 2,500 Komodo dragons remain in the park and surrounding areas, and although they are known to be vicious and aggressive, fatal attacks on humans are rare.
Butje said the boy's death was the sixth case of a human being attacked by the Komodos since 1975. Two people died, while the four others survived, although with serious injuries.
The park and the western and northern coastlines of neighboring Flores island are the natural habitats of the dragon, which can grow up to three metres in length and weigh up to 140 kilograms.
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