Komodo
Komodo is part of the Lesser Sunda chain of islands and forms part of the Komodo National Park. It lies between the substantially larger neighboring islands Sumbawa to the west and Flores to the east.
The earliest stories (among Westerners) of a dragon-like animal existing in the region circulated widely and attracted considerable attention. But no Westerner visited the island to check the story until official interest was sparked in the early 1910s by stories from Dutch sailors based in Flores in East Nusa Tenggara about a mysterious creature. The creature was allegedly a dragon which inhabited a small island in the Lesser Sunda Islands.
The creature stretched up to seven metres in length, with a massive torso and a mouth that continually spewed fire, according to Dutch seamen. They couldn't continue the inquiry since it burned them. It was thought at the time that the strange creature could fly. Lieutenant Steyn van Hensbroek, a Dutch Colonial Administration official on Flores, scheduled a journey to Komodo Island to continue the search himself after hearing the tales. He armed himself and landed on the island with a squad of men. Hensbroek was able to kill one of the lizards after a few days to examine.
- Komodo Island is home to the Komodo Dragon, the largest lizard on earth.
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