Komodo Island will not be closed to tourists

Earlier it was reported that the authorities wanted Indonesia introduce a temporary ban on visiting the island, which will come into force in 2020. In this way, it was planned to increase the reptile population on Komodo Island. Siti Nurbaya Bakar believes that there is no reason to introduce a complete closure of the reserve. Despite the increasing incidence of theft of monitor lizards by poachers, the number of these giant lizards has been maintained at the same level since 2002. It is planned to roll out a program to modernize the national park as a whole. It is planned to develop special tourist zones, increase funding and improve equipment for the patrol service, and open a research center. The program will be implemented by regional and central authorities.

Komodo Island is located between the two larger islands of Sumbawa and Flores. The facility has been in operation since 1980, and has been under the protection of UNESCO since 1986.