Komodo swimming sighting draws tourists near Labuan Bajo

Manggarai Barat — A Komodo dragon was filmed swimming between islands in Komodo National Park near Labuan Bajo on Nov. 2, a sighting that drew the attention of tourists aboard a passing boat.

A Komodo dragon was seen leaving Komodo Island and moving with the current, its head remaining above the water as it crossed the park’s waters.

Maria Rosdalima Panggur, the coordinator for public-relations cooperation and services at the Komodo National Park authority, said Komodo dragons can swim between islands but cannot travel very far. She attributed that limitation to the reptiles’ cold-blooded biology: prolonged exposure to cold water can cause a Komodo to die.

Why it matters to Labuan Bajo visitors

For visitors in Labuan Bajo, the sighting illustrates how wildlife encounters can occur from boats travelling through the national park, rather than only during planned land-based viewing. It also underscores that a swimming Komodo is not evidence that the animal can remain in cold water indefinitely.

Tourists watched from a nearby tourist boat as the dragon moved through the water. The animal was reported to have been swimming toward Manta Point.

Sources

• detikBali — Indonesian news report
• travelshifu.com
• gomayu.com