Forest Ranger ‘Tarzan’ Seriously Injured by Komodo’s Bite

Jakarta Globe, Made Arya Kencana, Apr 21, 2014

A 47-year-old forest ranger was bitten by a Komodo dragon on Sunday.
(AFP Photo/Romeo Gacad)

Denpasar. A forest ranger suffered serious injuries after being attacked by a komodo dragon in East Nusa Tenggara on Sunday.

Tarzan, a 47-year-old forest ranger, was feeding deer in Jagawana Loh Baru Post, in the southern part of Rinca island, Komodo National Park, when a medium-sized male komodo suddenly bit him on his left leg. Tarzan tripped and tried to break free by hitting the animal’s leg with the bucket he was using to feed the deer.

“The vein on his left leg was severed, and he needed surgery,” Tarzan’s wife, Siti Nur, told Jakarta Globe on Monday from Sanglah regional hospital, Denpasar, Bali, where Tarzan is being treated.

Siti said the komodo bit Tarzan and wouldn’t let go for at least five minutes. After breaking free from the komodo, Tarzan sought help. She said Tarzan was bleeding profusely from the gaping wound on his leg.

Tarzan was first taken to a health clinic in Labuan Bajo by a speedboat, but he was then immediately brought to a hospital in Bali because of the severe wound.

“We only gave him an antibiotic injection and performed a suture on his wound to stop the bleeding,” said Kelana, the health worker at Labuan Bajo who administered first aid to Tarzan.

Siti said Tarzan has been working as a forest ranger at Komodo National Park for 27 years and has never experienced such an incident.

“He did this kind of work every single day, but this thing has never happened to him,” she said.

Sanglah’s hospital spokesman, Kadek Nariyanta, said the doctors have performed a surgery to reconnect the severed tendon and vein.

“Right now the patient is recuperating in our hospital,” she said.

A bite from a komodo can be deadly if left untreated because of bacteria from the reptile’s saliva.