Komodo development

[scubadada]

Development and conservation clash at Komodo National Park

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — On a dirt path, forked yellow tongue darting from its mouth, a member of the world’s largest lizard species lazes on an island in eastern Indonesia’s Komodo National Park as tourists snap photos.

apnews.com

 

[Centrals]

Money comes first !

 

[drrich2]

From the article:

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During a meeting in July, UNESCO expressed other concerns, such as the project’s reduction of the park’s wilderness zone to one-third the previous area, addition of tourism concessions within the property, lack of an adequate environmental impact assessment, and a target to dramatically increase visitors.

“Third-party information transmitted to the State Party indicates that a target of 500,000 annual visitors for the property has been proposed, which is more than double the pre-COVID-19 pandemic visitor numbers,” said a report from the meeting. “This raises the question of how this tourism model fits (Indonesia’s) vision of moving away from mass tourism to more sustainable approaches.”

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I don't like the sound of that. Earlier it mentioned 'luxury,' but is a hot, arid location here a good setting for that? In addition to Komodo dragons, it's my understanding there are also a lot of venomous snakes. Seems more an 'eco-tourism' place.

 

[Annika1]

Visiting an island with man eating lizards doesn’t sound like much of a vacation, especially when you read about those divers stranded at sea who were lucky enough to have a free vacation with these creatures in their natural habitat. No, thank you!

 

[Jake 10]

excerpt from the article: "Because of its biodiversity and beauty, the park became a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site in 1991. And it’s one of Indonesia’s crown jewels for tourism, typically drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world each year. "

Money, money., money, but who can blame them

 

[Centrals]

Visiting an island with man eating lizards doesn’t sound like much of a vacation, especially when you read about those divers stranded at sea who were lucky enough to have a free vacation with these creatures in their natural habitat. No, thank you!

Divers or non-divers have been coming to see the Dragons for many yrs.
Which LoB does not stop on the way home?

Komodo dragon attacks tourist in Indonesia

A komodo dragon, one of the world's largest lizards, attacked a tourist in Indonesia who was trying to photograph the giant creatures feasting on a goat, police said Thursday.

phys.org

He was alone and without any Park Ranger to accompany him. Asking for trouble and got it.

 

[drrich2]

There's an odd contrast. When I read about Indonesia barring foreign tourists due to the pandemic, and seemingly in no hurry to have them back, it's pointed out tourism is a fairly small fraction of their overall economy.

When the subject of promoting Komodo as a 'luxury tourism destination' comes up (and this thread is not the first time), it's like 'What an opportunity for Indonesia to rake in big bucks.' I'm a bit dizzy from the ideological whiplash.

Richard.

 

[Centrals]

There's an odd contrast. When I read about Indonesia barring foreign tourists due to the pandemic, and seemingly in no hurry to have them back, it's pointed out tourism is a fairly small fraction of their overall economy.

When the subject of promoting Komodo as a 'luxury tourism destination' comes up (and this thread is not the first time), it's like 'What an opportunity for Indonesia to rake in big bucks.' I'm a bit dizzy from the ideological whiplash.

Richard.

"Opportunity for Indonesia to rake in bug bucks"? The big bucks comes from the central Gov and certain well connected individual/corporation will pocket them.

 

[Annika1]

Divers or non-divers have been coming to see the Dragons for many yrs.
Which LoB does not stop on the way home?

Komodo dragon attacks tourist in Indonesia

A komodo dragon, one of the world's largest lizards, attacked a tourist in Indonesia who was trying to photograph the giant creatures feasting on a goat, police said Thursday.

phys.org

He was alone and without any Park Ranger to accompany him. Asking for trouble and got it.

I’ve seen Jurassic Park and now I know it’s wrong to keep dinosaurs as pets.

 

[liveaboardlover]

Hello All, wish you the best for 2022

Concerning this one, I am located there and I m following very closely the situation so I would like to explain a bit the reality that the media are always forgetting to say.

1) Komodo National park is now a Premium destination with an investment of around 32 Trillion IDR by president Jokowi
2) from a shithole town, with no infrastructure, in 2 years, they built a new town with nearly all facilities such as a marina, and REGULATION.
3) the project on RINCA is not explained properly and I would like to give you my feedback after 5 years of bringing people there nearly every week from LOB or daily operator.
a) if you are a bit concerned with safety, it was a shame to bring people there with no safety at all... few rangers scared every single day to bring tourists to see a dinosaur that can kill you in 1 sec.
it was urgent to fix it. What was built there, was built by the UNESCO itself in 91 when they put in place on RINCA and Komodo the scientific watch building... Today after nearly 30 years of function, they decided to destroy all of it and rebuild in exact same position a new building.
Following this situation, President Susilo sold ALL available islands in Indonesia for a 100-year lease. Many westerners and Indonesian bought their islands to develop a resort. The problem is, they never realized that offering an island with a clear building permit, will destroy the environment.

What you must know is the local people of Bajo ( Flores people too) are fighting strongly nearly every month to stop the development of HOTEL on PADAR and RINCA AND KELOR but how do you manage it.
To make it simple. you buy a car, brand new, very expensive, and the police are telling you that you can't use it...

The only solution is for the government to take back the land but they can't as the owner refused to sell the same price as 15 years ago.

This is the MAIN issue of the article and the thing you can read on Komodo. But on the others side, what they built on Flores is amazing and it could be nice to recognize the effort.

Today you have limited access to PADAR and Komodo island and it will be implanted to Rinca.
On Rinca, it's true, we don't know if the government is stopping the development of the hotel as no one has accessed it there. But what is for sure, they rebuilt a nice and clean facility, a jetty and hopefully the Dragon will be more and more able to reproduce.

I would say that the main issue of Komodo is the non-controlled fishing activity, the plastic that is going everywhere, and the fact that Komodo national park is related ONLY to the lizard and non to the wonderful marine life...

I am quite optimistic about the effort to protect the Komodo National Park but not sure about the marine park that is not protected at all...