UN Protectorates
05-06-2007, 11:20
Boy killed by Komodo Dragon
An eight-year-old boy has been killed by a Komodo dragon in a national park in the east of Indonesia.
Heru Rudiharto of the Komodo National Park said the boy had been attacked after entering a bush for a toilet stop in a fishing village in the national park on Komodo, an island that lies 930 miles east of the capital Jakarta.
His uncle, who had been mending fishing nets nearby, tried to free him by throwing stones at the dragon.
Mr Rudiharto said: "The dragon bit the boy's waist, tossed him and dragged him. His right leg was badly scratched. The boy bled to death half an hour after the attack."
The official said it was rare for such attacks on humans, although in the dry season that started in April the dragon's normal prey became more scarce.
Mr Rudiharto said: "It is very common here to see dragons roaming in the residential area in the national park. But it is very rare that a Komodo dragon kills a human. Usually, people here only suffer minor injuries."
There are about 2,000 of the protected and endangered dragons living in the wild, mainly on Indonesia's Komodo and Rinca islands.
The dragons, which are agile and have a keen sense of smell, can grow to a length of more than 9 ft and weigh on average 200lbs.
The mouth of the dragon has virulent bacteria that means even if its prey survives an attack it will probably die of infection later.
Oh dear. Quite tragic don't you think?
An eight-year-old boy has been killed by a Komodo dragon in a national park in the east of Indonesia.
Heru Rudiharto of the Komodo National Park said the boy had been attacked after entering a bush for a toilet stop in a fishing village in the national park on Komodo, an island that lies 930 miles east of the capital Jakarta.
His uncle, who had been mending fishing nets nearby, tried to free him by throwing stones at the dragon.
Mr Rudiharto said: "The dragon bit the boy's waist, tossed him and dragged him. His right leg was badly scratched. The boy bled to death half an hour after the attack."
The official said it was rare for such attacks on humans, although in the dry season that started in April the dragon's normal prey became more scarce.
Mr Rudiharto said: "It is very common here to see dragons roaming in the residential area in the national park. But it is very rare that a Komodo dragon kills a human. Usually, people here only suffer minor injuries."
There are about 2,000 of the protected and endangered dragons living in the wild, mainly on Indonesia's Komodo and Rinca islands.
The dragons, which are agile and have a keen sense of smell, can grow to a length of more than 9 ft and weigh on average 200lbs.
The mouth of the dragon has virulent bacteria that means even if its prey survives an attack it will probably die of infection later.
Oh dear. Quite tragic don't you think?