Thaindian News

By Madhuri Dey
Komodo, Indonesia, Feb 27, (THAINDIAN NEWS) A Komodo dragon, an inmate at the Komodo National Park, attacked a park ranger, Marcelinus Subanghadir. The ranger was attacked by the reptile, which is the largest species of lizards in the world, and was grabbed by the right foot. It held on to the foot of the ranger, and the consequences might have been really dire had not the other employees of the park heard the screams of Marcelinus Subanghadir. Upon hearing his screams for help, they arrived on the spot and managed to separate the man from its ferocious attacker, with the help of a wooden club.

According to the chief of the Komodo National Park, Tamen Sitorus, the incident took place on Feb 22, 2010. Marcelinus Subanghadir was left with deep lacerations in the area which the Komodo dragon had clamped with its huge, serrated teeth. At present, the 34-year-old man is admitted to a hospital, where, according to hospital sources, he is recuperating. According to the reports of Vion Keraf, who is an official at the PT Putri Naga Komodo, the Komodo dragon had not initially meant to attack the ranger. In fact, it had apparently been chasing a monkey when the ranger possibly came in its path.

However, this is not an isolated incident. The Komodo dragons are infamous for their ferocity, and have been known to attack people frequently. An endangered species, it can be seen only on the wildernesses of the Komodo, Rinca and Padar islands of the Indonesian archipelago. It has a keen sense of smell that helps it locate its prey, and sharp, jagged, shark-like teeth. Only in 2007, a young boy, aged 8 or 9, was reported to have been killed by a Komodo dragon.