Komodo dragons in PNG?

These days the local news is largely occupied by the Edison scandal.. but I am just attracted by a piece of unusual news that would interest the minority I guess.

Ok... here's the news from ABC:

09/02/2008, Komodo dragons on the loose near PNG city of Lae

Several Komodo dragons are reported to be on the loose in the country around the city of Lae in Papua New Guinea.

The Post Courier reports villagers and city residents are calling on authorities to kill or recapture the giant lizards and send back to Komodo Island in Indonesia.

The newspaper says a joint operation, involving police, army, quarantine and the Morobe provincial disaster office, is hunting them.

It says the reptiles escaped from their pen during a heavy downpour one night last week, and after killing and eating their owner's pet dog, they headed for the bush.

Villagers have reported seeing them or their large tracks and disaster officers say there may be more than the two initially reported.

The Post-Courier quotes a senior academic at the University of Technology as saying the lizards are dangerous and are capable of breaking down thatched-houses and attacking other animals, including humans.

Well.. first, komodo dragons are actually not so dangerous as they are notorious for. Second, it does not sound so logical and normal to I and, honestly, it is hard to believe there are komodo dragons in captivity in Papua New Guinea if you know the situation of these dragons.

Komodo dragons are highly endangered and internationally protected. Only a few zoos and authorized private places outside Indonesia are owning these giant carrion-eating lizards. Yes, they appear in the black markets around the world. There have even been a few smuggled komodos ever existed in someone's place in Hong Kong. but I do not think it would be common. And, it costs a lot. I have been to PNG for a while and I do not think there could be some villagers keeping one, let alone several komodos as reported.

What I am guessing is that people misnamed or mistook other monitor lizards for komodo dragons. The most likely is the Crocodile monitor (Varanus salvadorii). It is native to the PNG and is even longer than komodo dragons the world's largest lizard.

Anyway, if those are really komodos it would be a pretty shocking news.

.

Update: 2008 Feb 13

The story is as guessed. Those are crocodile monitors not komodos. Here's the news:

Search for rampaging lizard called off

From correspondents in Port Moresby

February 12, 2008 10:21am

PAPUA New Guinean authorities have called off a four-day "Komodo hunt", believing reports of an escaped Komodo Dragon could be a hoax.

The lizard was reported on the loose in PNG's second largest city, Lae, on PNG's west coast, and was said to be terrorising locals after it escaped captivity last week.

But after extensive investigations authorities believe it could be a similar looking Salvadori Monitor, common to the Papuan region and not the endangered Indonesian reptile.

Police, administrators and locals began a search after sightings and media reports that the rare Komodo Dragon was destroying gardens and frightening villagers who had never seen such a creature.

Reports of sightings continued over the weekend and the Army and Department of Environment and Conservation were called to retrieve the giant lizard.

Reports and rumours escalated and soon there were two Komodos leaving giant footprints, the lizard had attacked and killed two dogs and the expatriate owner was offering 1000 kina ($400) for its return.

The Komodo Dragon, is found mainly on the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rintja, Padar, and Flores.

The drama captured the imagination of one enterprising local who designed and sold T-shirts supporting the city's new celebrity.

But Morobe Province Disaster and Emergency officer Roy Kamen told PNG's Post Courier the search was called off because they had no new leads and the search was costing too much.

"This situation has spread fear and panic among the people," he said.

"It may be a hoax ... highly skilled soldiers have been in the bushes for four days but have not sighted the reptile," he said.

Anyway, crocodile monitors are nice stuff either.