#Indonesia - Komodo National Park to be closed one year for habitat restoration

The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) administration has announced its plans to temporarily close Komodo National Park to visitors for one year to increase the local population of Komodo dragons and deer.

“The NTT administration will make [the necessary] arrangements for Komodo National Park,” said NTT Governor Viktor Bungtilu Laiskodat on Friday, as quoted by tempo.co. He did not announce the dates of the temporary closure.

Viktor said that the park's closure was intended to give the provinicial administration easier access in managing the park and developing the dragons' habitat.

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 He said that individual lizards in the current population were not as big as they used to be, attributing this to a decline in the local deer population due to poaching.  

 Deer are the main prey of the carnivorous Komodo dragons, which can grow as large as 150 kilograms and eat about "80 percent of its body weight in a single feeding", according to National Geographic. This means that a 100-kilogram lizard can eat 80 kg of meat in a single sitting.

Viktor said there was a possibility that the lizards could prey on their own kind if the deer population continued to decline.

“Its natural instinct will emerge when [the population of one of the animals] in the Komodo dragon’s food chain declines. If food is abundant, the Komodo dragons will [employ] a different instinct," he said. "This is why the administration wants to manage the Komodo dragon's habitat by temporarily closing the area to visitors for one year.”

Source - TheJakartaPost

Visiting Lapopu, the highest waterfall in East Nusa Tenggara

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Lapopu, located in Wanokaka district, West Sumba regency, is the highest waterfall in East Nusa Tenggara. The attraction is 90 meters in height and, unlike most waterfalls, boasts a unique stair-shape.

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“[Lapopu] waterfall has become a [popular] destination for both local and foreign tourists who visit Sumba. Nihiwatu resort’s guests frequently visit the waterfall to swim, enjoy the cold surroundings and breathe the fresh air," said Maman Surahman, head of Manupeu Tanah Daru and Laiwangi Wanggameti National Parks (MaTaLaWa).

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The parks' staff member Hendro told The Jakarta Post that bathing, swimming and capturing photos of the scenic waterfall were among the most popular tourist activities.

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Lapopu is situated within MaTaLaWa. Maman said that the parks were integrated to allow the management to develop ecological and cultural tourism.

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At least three waterfalls can be found in the Manupeu Tanah Daru National Park, namely Lapopu, Laputi and Matayangu. 

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In addition to the aforementioned attractions, MaTaLaWa also feature Sumba traditional village, endemic birds and butterflies. Maman said that conservation group BirdLife International had recognized Sumba as an important bird and biodiversity area (IBA).

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“We need to promote this uniqueness to attract [more] foreign visitors,” he added.

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