They should never have disappeared from their habitat.
$35,000 is the market price for a komodo dragon Asian smuggling. This species with 40 million years is for the east of Indonesia one of the main sources of tourism because there is not the same in the whole world.
The also called ground crocodile , the largest in the world, can measure up to 3 meters long and weigh about 70 kg; their bite is poisonous and can cause death. But tourism on Komodo Island is endangering its habitat.
Why? In the month of March, several men have been arrested for stealing 41 species of komodo, in addition to other protected species such as pangolins and cockatoos on the Asian black market.
The immediate solution to protect the Komodo National Park , declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and preserving the species will be close it to tourists in 2020.
"The meeting concludes that Komodo Island will be temporarily closed in January 2020 East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) administration spokesman Marius Jelamu said on March 29.
There are about 5,000 specimens in Indonesia.
Until now they have only been able to recover five of them , but according to police sources, they know that the species for sale via social media to Thailand and Vietnam.
Apparently dragons are used for asian traditional medicine , specifically to prepare antibiotics. "I make a call to all citizens who buy komodo dragons to return them immediately as it is an illegal purchase," Viktor Bungtilu, the governor of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), told reporters in Kupang at a news conference on Monday.
At the moment they are also evaluating the possibility of putting police security in the park. "The Komodo National Park is a Biosphere Reserve recognized by UNESCO, so it needs serious security measures. The incident shows that Indonesia is not protecting the park."
The law prescribes prison sentences of up to ten years and one fine for trafficking endangered animals . Despite sanctions, trade remains widespread in parts of the Indonesian archipelago, through which they pass daily 10,000 visitors per month.
Of the three islands that make up the park (Komodo, Rinca and Padar), only Komodo will remain closed.