September 24, 2008
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Laporan Kegiatan
Sosialisasi Pengamanan di Kawasan Cagar Alam Wae Wuul (CAWW)
Komodo survival program dan Balai Besar Konservasi Sumber Daya ALam Nusa Tenggara Timur telah melakukan kegitan sosialisasi pengamanan di Dusun Menjaga Desa Macang Tanggar Kecamatan Komodo Kabupaten Manggarai Barat NTT. Kegiatan sosialisasi ini merupakan program yang sudah tertera dalam rencana kerja tahunan 2008 hingga 2011. Kegiatan dilakukan di pada tanggal 28 Agustus 2008 dari pukul 10 hingga pukul 15. Dalam acara sosialisasi yang di rancang oleh Balai Besar KSDA NTT dengan Komodo Survival Program diawali dengan pemberian materi (lisan) terhadap 40 orang peserta yang mewakili dua desa dari Macang Tanggar dan Warloka. Isi materi terdiri dari beberapa topic yaitu : Selayang pandang tentang Cagar Alam Wae Wuul, Kegiatan pengamanan di Kawasan Cagar ALam Wae Wuul dan permasalahannya, kegitan penelitian dan peran serta masyarakat dalam pelestarian Cagar Alam Wae Wuul. Dalam sesi tanya jawab, beberapa masalah yang diutarakan oleh peserta yang hadir adalah mengenai tata batas kawasan (terutama yang bersinggungan dengan pemukiman, termasuk jalan), peningkatan kesejahteraan masyarakat sekitar kawasan, peran masyarakat dalam pelestarian CAWW terutama untuk menghindari kebakaran kawasan cagar alam.
Materi Presentasi
Materi sosialisasi adalah leaflet mengenai kompilasi informasi dari pihak-pihak terkait di bawah ini :
1. KSDA Latar belakang penetapan kawasan, dasar hukum, sejarah penetapan kawasan dan kegiatan pengelolaan kawasan dan rencana kegiatan.
2. Kepolisian penegakan hukum di bidang kehutanan
3. KSP Rencana kegiatan survey, pemantauan dan penelitian Biawak Komodo dan kenekaragaman hayati beserta habitatnya di kawasan Cagar Alam Wae Wuul.
4. Kepala Desa Warloka Peranan masyarakat sekitar kawasan dalam melestarikan Cagar Alam Wae Wuul
Diskusi
Permasalahan yang mengemuka pada kegiatan sosialisasi ini adalah;
1. pelibatan masyarakat dalam menentukan luas wilayah kawasan Cagar Alam Wae Wuul
2. tidak ada koordinasi masyarakat dengan pihak KSDA
3. pelarangan pembangunan jalan antara Menjaga dengan Nanga Nae sedangkan antara dusun Warloka dan Kenari ada jalan penghubung yang melintasi kawasan
4. kesejahteraan masyarakat sekitar CAWW kurang diperhatikan
Rekomendasi
Dari hasil pertemuan dengan masyarakat yang mewakili dua desa, Macang Tanggar dan Warloka, maka diperlukan adanya usaha-usaha yang dilakukan oleh semua pihak yang terkait dalam mencapai tujuan Cagar Alam Wae Wuul yang lestari. Untuk itu, beberapa usulan langkah-langkah pelestarian perlu di lakukan untuk ditindaklanjuti oleh semua pihak terkait, mulai dari pengelola (KSDA), masyarakat dan lembaga non pemerintah yang terlibat.
1. Perlu adanya penataan kembali pal batas-batas kawasan bersama masyarakat sekaligus sosialisai mengenai batas-batas kawasan kepada masyarakat seitar kawasan Cagar Alam Wae Wuul.
2. Koordinasi antara pihak pengelola (Balai Besar KSDA NTT), Masyarakat, Pemda perlu lebih di tingkatkan.
3. Kegiatan sosialisasi perlu lebih sering dilakukan.
4. Pembentukan tim yang melibatkan anggota masyarakat dalam usaha pelestarian kawasan CAWW terutama untuk menghindari kebakaran kawasan.
Incidence of Fish Hook Ingestion by Komodo dragons June 30, 2008
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Incidence of Fish Hook Ingestion by Komodo dragons
Tim Jessop1, Jeri Imansyah2, Deni Purwandana2, Achmad Arifiandy2 and Devi S. Opat3
1Department of Wildlife Conservation and Research, Zoos Victoria, PO Box 74 Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
2 Komodo Dragon Species Survival Program Indonesia, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.
3 Taman National Komodo, Labuan Bajo, Flores, NTT, Indonesia.
Correspondence to Tim Jessop
(e-mail: tjessop@ zoo.org.au).
The Komodo dragon (Varanus Komodoensis), a large robust monitor lizard, persists on the 5 islands in Eastern Indonesia (Ciofi and deBoer 2004). The waters surrounding these islands are intensively utilized for marine resources and in particular line and net fishing are prolific. For other reptiles, particularly freshwater and marine turtles, incidental injury and mortality through ingestion of fishing hooks during routine foraging activities are not uncommon (Polovina et al. 2000). However, similar incidents of reptile by-catch in terrestrial species is poorly documented even though, many large lizards such as monitors, are semi-aquatic or cohabit and forage within coastal areas in which intense fishing activities persist. Here we report two incidents of ingestion of fishing gear by Komodo dragon during routine monitoring of island populations between 2002- 2006.
Annual mark recapture studies were conducted at 10 sites across 4 islands within Komodo National Park during both 2002 and 2005 and resulted in 827 dragons captures(> post-hatchling size). From this sample, 2 cases of fishhook ingestion were reported. The first case, comprised a small monitor (Animal ID: 00063A9978, 69.35 cm SVL, 7 kg) captured at Loh Buaya (8:39:21.7 S, 119:43:06.2 N) on Rinca Island and appeared to occurred recently as the line protruding from its mouth was still relatively long and the nylon in good condition. Based on the line weight it is suspected that the hook ingested by this lizard was relatively small. This lizard was recaptured in 2005, without any evidence of the protruding fishing line (however if the hook was remaining is unknown) and it had grown 8.75 cm in SVL and increased its mass by 1.45 kg. The second lizard, an adult male (Animal ID: 000643A7EC, 127.75 cm SVL, 41.8 kg) was captured on the 19th June 2004 also from Rinca Island at Loh Tongker (8:45:31.1 S, 119:42:57.3 E) a small coastal valley on the south east coast. In this incident the hook ingested was likely to have been considerably larger and typical of those used for capturing large pelagic species on long line. This hook was shackled with 2 strands of heavy trace wire (Fig 1). In this instance it is believed the hook was ingested several weeks to months earlier as indicated by the lesion induced by abrasion from the trace wire. In 2005, this adult male was recaptured, there was no evidence of the protruding trace, however it was not known if the hook still resided within the animal. The weight of this male had decreased by 8.8 kg from 2004 and 20 kg from its first capture in 2003 despite growing relatively little in length (4 cm in SVL).
Consumptions of fishing hooks by Komodo dragons, albeit rare, is a likely consequence of these lizard’s prodigious scavenging capacity coinciding with discarded fishing gear that finds it way into the intertidal areas exposed on the low tide. As yet we do not know what effects hook ingestion might incur for the specific individuals dragons, however, given that mortality occurs readily in other reptiles, it is possible that at least in the case of the second animal there may be negative consequences.
References
Ciofi, C. & de Boer, M.E. 2004. Distribution and conservation of the Komodo Monitor (Varanus komodoensis). Herpetological Journal 14: 99-107.
Polovina, J.J., Kobayashi, D.R., Ellis, D.M., Seki, M.P., & Balazs, G.H., 2000. Turtles on the edge: Movement of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) along oceanic fronts in the central North Pacific, 1997-1998. Fisheries Oceanography 9(1):71-82.
Ticks on emerged hatchlings of Komodo Dragon June 27, 2008
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Ticks on emerged hatchlings of Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) on Komodo island, Indonesia
M. JERI IMANSYAH
Komodo Survival Program, Jl Pulau Moyo, Komplek Karantia Blok 2 no 4, Denpasar, Bali 80222, Indonesia
TIM S. JESSOP
Zoos Victoria, PO Box 74, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3052, Australia
The ticks (Acarina) that parasitise varanid lizards (Sauridae) are mainly from two Genera; Amblyomma and Aponomma (King & Green, 1999). Ticks as ectoparasites consume host blood, cause disease and can function as important vectors for microparasites, which can negatively influence the fitness of reptiles (Main and Bull 2000). The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), a large monitor lizard, from South Eastern Indonesia has been documented to possess three species of tick including Amblyomma helvolum a generalist, and two host specific species- A. robinsoni and Aponomma komodoense (Auffenberg, 1981). In Zoos, Komodo also reported loaded by A. komodoense that were infested from wild specimens (Burridge et al., 2004). However as yet little is known about the ecology, or the fitness implications, of this host-parasite dynamic. One aspect of this host-parasite dynamic that remains unknown is the possibility that ticks have evolved strategies to parasitise hatchling dragons on emergence from their nests. From a parasites perspective, host environments of juvenile animals, are those that provide the east resistance with respect to immunological (i.e. lack of acquired immunity) or physical (eg skin thickness) barriers could provide greater benefit (reference). Herein we report on the capacity of ticks to parasitise recently emerged hatchling Komodo dragons from three nests on Komodo Island.
In January of each year (2003-2006) a sample of known active nests of V. Komodoensis were caged to enable capture of hatchlings as part of routine annual monitoring of the ecology and life-history of this species in Komodo National Park (Jessop et al., 2004). Prior to emergence in March/April (late wet season), nest cages were monitored twice daily (morning and afternoon coinciding with emergence of hatchlings from the ground) to enable measurement and marking of individual hatchlings prior to release. In 2004, we also examined for the presence of ectoparasites of hatchlings on Komodo Island, one of four extant populations within Komodo National Park.
From the three nests monitored on Komodo Island in 2004 (referred to as LSB1, LL64 and LSB3), 47 hatchling Komodo were captured in March (estimated within 4 hours post-emergence). Together these hatchlings has a mean- weight of 95.53 ± 2.20 gr and SVL 18.78 ± 0.14 cm. Hatchlings from two of the three nests, were found to be carrying nymphal ticks of one species, Aponomma komodoense. Two of the 18 hatchlings (11.11%) from nest LSB1 had ticks, one had 1 tick, the other had 3 (Table 1). Clutch LL64 had 16 individuals, of which 9 (8.333%) carried ticks. The number of ticks ranged from 1 to 20, with an average number of ticks per hatchling of 7.44 ± 2.46. Hatchlings (n =12) from nest LSB2 were not observed to carry ticks.
Table 1. Tick infestation of emerged hatchlings from two of three nests of Komodo dragon Varanus komodoensis on Komodo island.
|
Nest |
Latitude |
Longitude |
Hatchlings |
Number of Ticks |
Frequency with ticks |
||
|
1 |
2-5 |
>5 |
|||||
|
LSB1 |
8:32:11 |
119:31:44 |
18 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
11 % |
|
LL64 |
8:33:14 |
119:30:38 |
12 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
83 % |
|
LSB2 |
8:32:04 |
119:32:40 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 % |
Our results indicate that alongside larger Komodo dragons, hatchlings can act as hosts for ticks. By parasitizing hatchlings on emergence, ticks could greatly increase their capacity to find new and potentially more importantly immunologically naïve hosts (i.e. no acquired resistance). Female dragons, which act as hosts for ticks, spend considerable periods of time around the nest both prior to and after oviposition and thus could enable ticks to deposit eggs (that remain quiescent) around the nest site until hatchlings emerge. Seasonal cues, including the conspicuous transition from an extended dry season through to the short summer wet season coinciding with the monsoon represent an important cue for many organisms breeding in the wet-dry tropics of Eastern Indonesia (Kerr and Bull, 2006; Monk et al., 1997). This seasonal cue could provide necessary environmental information enabling nymphal ticks to synchronise their own hatching and questing activity with the emergence of hatchling Komodo dragons (reference). At present we do not know of the specific fitness consequences that ticks impart on their hatchling hosts. While ticks can illicit fitness costs by reducing growth, condition and the locomotor capacity in other lizards, similar consequences for hatchling Komodo dragons remain to be determined (Hanson et al., 2007; Main and Bull, 2000).
Acknowledgement
We thank Ibrahim Payung, Heru Rudiharto, and Zamzam for their assistance during field work. Financial support was provided by a Millennium Post Doctoral Fellowship from the Zoological Society of San Diego (ZSSD) to TSJ. Approval for the research was granted under a MOU between ZSSD and The Nature Conservancy (Indonesia Program) and by the Indonesian Department of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHKA).
References:
Auffenberg, W. 1981. The Behavioral ecology of the Komodo dragon. Gainesville, University Florida Press.
Burridge, M.J., Leight-Anne Simmons, T.Condie. 2004. Control of an exotic tick Aponoma komodoense) infestatation in a Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) exhibit at a zoo in Florida. Journal of Wildlife Medicine. 35(2): 248-249.
Hanson, B.A., P.A.Frank, J.W.Mertins, J.L.Corn. 2007. Tick paralysis of a snake caused by Amblyoma rotundatum (Acari: Ixodidae). Journal of Medical Entomology. 44(1): 155-157.
Jessop, T.J., Sumner, J., Rudiharto, H. Purwandana, D., Imansyah, M.J. & Philips, J.A. 2004. Study on nest distribution, utilization, and selection by Komodo dragon, Varanus komodoensis: implication for conservation and management. Biological Conservation. 117: 463-470.
Kerr, G. D., C.M. Bull,. 2006. Interaction between climate, host refuge use, and tick population dynamics. Parasitology Research. 99: 214-222.
King, D.R. & Green, B. 1999. Goannas: the biology of Varanid lizards. Sydney, New South Wales Press Ltd.
Main, A.R., Bull, C.M. 2000. The impact of tick parasites on the behaviour of the lizard Tiliqua rugosa. Oecologia 122: 574-581.
TRAINING ON POPULATION ESTIMATION ON KOMODO MONITOR June 2, 2008
Posted by ekologi in Uncategorized.Tags: ecological methodology, Komodo monitor, krebs (2002), population estimation, training
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SHORT TRAINING FOR KSDA STAFF ON INTRODUCTION TO POPULATION ESTIMATION USING ECOLOGICAL METHODOLOGY SOFTWARE (KREBS, 2002) FOR MARK RECAPTURE DATA ON KOMODO MONITOR
Ruteng, 19 May 2008
M Jeri Imansyah, Deni Purwandana
Introduction
To increase capacity of staff of KSDA NTT and to give introduction on Mark Recapture methodology and population analysis based on mark recapture data that prepared for Komodo dragon population estimation on Flores, a short training on Introduction of Mark recapture methodology and use of Ecological Methodology (Krebs, 2002) computer program to estimate animal population was carried out in the KSDA NTT Office in Ruteng.
Methodology
Training was carried out during two sessions. The first session included lectures on basic of population study in animal, mark recapture, and application of “Ecological Methodology (Krebs, 2002)” computer program given by the instructor, followed by a discussion where trainees were asking questions and additional information on specific procedures. During the second session, an open discussion went through research methodology applied to animal population size estimates.
Results
The training course was attended by 22 members of staff from Bidang II KSDA NTT. Open discussion mostly dealt with implementation of mark-recapture methods for estimating animal population size on Flores. Species of interest was the Komodo monitor Varanus komodoensis. However, since none of KSDA staff had been involved in previous field work involving mark-recapture, nor they were acquainted with data analysis, the training mostly focused on basic concepts and logistics for the implementation of methods in the field.
Conclusions and Recommendations
- The training material was perhaps too advance for KSDA NTT staff, since no one of them has been involved in mark-recapture studies before.
- Time available to explain the theory of mark-recapture methods was insufficient and further training sessions should be scheduled along with practical sessions involving KSDA staff in mark-recapture field techniques, for instance in Komodo National Park. Training sessions involving both KSDA NTT and KNP staff are therefore recommended.
- Further training sessions to consider the basics of mark-recapture methodology for the Komodo monitor in more details should be carried out, along with training on alternative census methodologies for population size estimates of other wildlife in Komodo National Park and Flores.
Acknowledgements
We thank Luhut Sihombing, the Head of Balai Besar KSDA NTT, and Suprihatna, head of Bidang II KSDA NTT, for organizing the training sessions. The course was part of an MoU between Komodo Survival Program and Balai Besar KSDA NTT. Funds were provided by the European Aquaria and Zoos Association.
Biawak Komodo telah menghilang dari Flores bagian Timur Laut March 18, 2008
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Biawak Komodo telah menghilang di Flores bagian Timur Laut, demikian lah hasil laporan yang dilakukan oleh Balai KSDA NTT II bersama tim dari Zoological Society of London pada tahun 2005. Seperti diketahui, Biawak Komodo (Varanus komodoensis) memiliki sebaran alami yang sangat sempit dibandingan dengan predator terrestrial lainnya dan hanya ditemukan pada lima pulau di Tenggara Indonesia. Pulau-pulau Komodo, Rinca, Gili Motang dan Nusa Kode, merupakan bagian dari Taman Nasional Komodo, dan Pulau Flores yang meskipun terletak di luar kawasan Taman Nasional, akan tetapi memiliki dua Cagar Alam, yaitu Wae Wuul di pantai Barat dan Wolo Tado di pantai Utara merupakan area dimana Biawak Komodo dilindungi. Sebagian dari pantai Utara Flores, yaitu semenanjung Kota baru, merupakan area yang juga dilindungi, di daerah ini Komodo terkahir kali ditemukan pada tahun 1985. Survey terbaru melaporkan penurunan yang signifikan sebaran biawak Komodo di bagian Barat dan Utara Flores, dengan dugaan populasi 10 kali lebih rendah dari pada populasi di Taman Nasional Komodo. Kami melakukan survey di semenanjung Detusoko dan Kota baru, sepanjang pantai Timur Laut Flores, untuk menilai keberadaan biawak Komodo dan membandingkannya dengan data BKSDA dari Dirjen PHKA, Departemen Kehutanan Indonesia pada tahun 1985.
Kami tidak menemukan adanya bukti kehadiran Komodo pada 10 lokasi tempat diletakkan perangkap-perangkap selama masa survey. Penurunan jumlah kepadatan populasi mangsa, arson (praktek perburuan rusa liar) dan pembakaran lahan merupakan gangguan utama hidupan liar di semenanjung Detusoko dan Kota baru. Tidak adanya komodo di daerah Timur Laut Flores memberikan peringatan dan harus merangsang untuk dilakukan penanganan dalam rangkan melindungi populasi Biawak Komodo yang masih tersisa di Barat dan Utara Flores, yang pada saat ini populasinya terganggu oleh aktifitas manusia. Hasil dari penelitian ini dan penelitian sebelumnya merekomendasikan perlunya pengendalian perburuan liar (khususnya rusa, Cervus timorensis), pembakaran savanna, ladang berpindah di pantai Barat, dari Nisar hingga Cagar Alam Wae Wuul, dan pantai Utara dari Pota hingga Riung.
Hingga saat ini, populasi biawak Komodo yang paling aman adalah di kawasan Taman Nasional Komodo, itupun populasi di pulau kecil Nusa Kode dan Gili Motang menunjukkan adanya penurunan populasi yang signifikan (Imansyah dkk. 2008. unpublished report). Sehingga pemantauan populasi jangka panjang perlu dilakukan untuk menjaga satwa khas Indonesia ini tidak mengalami kepunahan lebih lanjut.
populasi dan survival biawak Komodo (Varanus komodoensis) March 11, 2008
Posted by ekologi in Uncategorized.Tags: biawak Komodo, kelimpahan, kepadatan, komodo, mark-recapture, populasi, survival, taman nasional komodo
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RINGKASAN
LAPORAN
DUGAAN KELIMPAHAN, KEPADATAN, LAJU SURVIVAL TAHUNAN, DAN
LAJU PERTUMBUHAN POPULASI BIAWAK KOMODO (Varanus komodoensis)
DI BALAI TAMAN NASIONAL KOMODO, INDONESIA
M Jeri Imansyah, Tim S Jessop, Claudio Ciofi, Deni Purwandana, Achmad Ariefiandy,
Heru Rudiharto, Aganto Seno, Devi S Opat, Tresna Noviandy, Andy Phillips
Untuk mendapatkan dugaan kelimpahan dan kepadatan yang lebih akurat, metode Capture Mark Release Recapture (CMRR) atau yang lebih dikenal dengan Mark Recapture telah digunakan selama 2002-2006 meliputi 10 lembah di empat pulau utama dalam wilayah Taman Nasional Komodo sebagai area studi. Dari hasil studi yang dilakukan didapat bahwa populasi biawak Komodo yang terdapat di wilayah Taman Nasional Komodo secara keseluruhan adalah sekitar 1435 individu, meliputi pulau Komodo, Rinca, Gili Motang, dan Nusa Kode. Kelimpahan dan kepadatan biawak Komodo di masing-masing lembah berbeda secara signifikan (tabel 1), dimana lembah besar memiliki kelimpahan yang tinggi sedangkan lembah kecil menunjukkan sebaliknya. Kepadatan tertinggi tercatat pada lembah yang kecil (Loh Wau, Komodo, dan Loh Tongker, Rinca. Namun kelimpahan dan kepadatan antar pulau tidak berbeda secara signifikan (Tabel 2). Kelimpahan tertinggi tercatat di pulau Komodo (628.50)[U1] sedangkan terendah di Nusa Kode (75.63). Kepadatan tertingggi tercatat di pulau Rinca (17.99 ind/km2) sedangkan terendah di Nusa Kode (10.36 ind/km2).
|
Lokasi Lembah |
Pulau |
Luas (km2) |
Kelimpahan (individu) |
Kepadatan (ind/km2) |
|
Gili Motang |
Gili Motang |
3.90 |
47.60 ± 6.56 |
12.21 ± 1.68 |
|
Loh Baru |
Rinca |
5.48 |
95.55 ± 8.43 |
17.44 ± 1.54 |
|
Loh Buaya |
Rinca |
5.50 |
75.50 ± 5.25 |
13.73 ± 0.95 |
|
Loh Dasami |
Rinca |
3.54 |
43.50 ± 4.55 |
12.29 ± 1.29 |
|
Loh Lawi |
Komodo |
10.03 |
153.76 ± 17.44 |
15.33 ± 1.74 |
|
Loh Liang |
Komodo |
8.49 |
92.48 ± 5.98 |
10.89 ± 0.67 |
|
Loh Sebita |
Komodo |
5.81 |
100.70 ± 41.46 |
17.33 ± 7.14 |
|
Loh Tongker |
Rinca |
2.64 |
75.20 ± 6.59 |
28.48 ± 2.50 |
|
Loh Wau |
Komodo |
0.83 |
22.74 ± 2.23 |
27.40 ± 2.69 |
|
Nusa Kode |
Nusa Kode |
1.07 |
11.09 ± 3.09 |
10.36 ± 2.89 |
Tabel 1. Kelimpahan dan kepadatan biawak Komodo di tiap lokasi studi
|
Pulau |
Kelimpahan[U2] |
Kepadatan[U3] |
|
Komodo |
628.50 |
17.60 |
|
Rinca |
615.27 |
17.99 |
|
Gili Motang |
115.75 |
12.21 |
|
Nusa Kode |
75.63 |
10.36 |
|
TOTAL |
1435.15 |
|
Tabel 2. Kelimpahan dan kepadatan rata-rata populasi biawak Komodo di tiap pulau.
*) luas pulau di sini merupakan luas total lembah-lembah yang memiliki kesamaan karakteristik dengan lembah-lembah lokasi studi.
Secara umum terdapat beberapa perbedaan kondisi antar pulau pada populasi biawak Komodo di TNK, khususnya kepadatan, tingkat survivalitas, dan perkembangan populasi. Biawak Komodo di pulau besar menunjukkan tingkat kelimpahan dan kepadatan yang relatif sama dan cukup besar bahkan dapat dikatakan cukup aman karena berada di atas 500 individu, yang merupakan jumlah minimun efektif untuk mempertahankan keragaman genetik satu jenis yang terancam punah (Lande, 1988). Namun pada pulau kecil, Gili Motang dan Nusa Kode, menunjukkan tingkat kelimpahan dan kepadatan yang rendah, bahkan kelimpahan populasinya berada pada atau bahkan di bawah ambang batas teoritis dalam menentukan gejala kepunahan, yang biasanya 100 individu dalam suatu populasi (Lande & Barrowclough, 1987).
Studi ini mengindikasikan bahwa populasi di pulau kecil Gili Motang dan Nusa Kode perlu mendapat perhatian yang lebih intensif untuk mencegah penurunan lebih lanjut bahkan kepunahan lokal. Terdapat pula gambaran bahwa perbedaan berbagai aspek biologi dan ekologi biawak Komodo antar pulau mengindikasikan adanya kebutuhan untuk mengembangankan rencana spefisik pulau yang disesuaikan dengan kondisi populasi setempat.
Apparently immaculate Komodos hatched February 12, 2008
Posted by ekologi in Uncategorized.Tags: hatch, hatchlings, immaculate, Komodo dragon, partenogenesis, Varanus komodoensis, zoo
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Apparently immaculate Komodos hatched
Yahoo news, Feb 7 2008
WICHITA, Kan. – Two Komodo dragons have hatched at the Sedgwick County Zoo, apparently without the fertilization of a male. The dragons, both males, are believed to be the first in North America known to have hatched by parthenogenesis, which occurs naturally in some species, including invertebrates and lower plants. It happens more rarely in some vertebrates.
Two other known cases in which Komodo dragons hatched by parthenogenesis were at the London and Chester zoos in England in 2006.
The zoo in Wichita is having DNA testing done to document the mother’s and the babies’ genetic structure because of the remote chance that a male’s sperm was stored on the female’s body.
Komodo dragons are one of the few species capable of storing sperm, said Don Boyer, curator of reptiles and amphibians at the San Diego Zoo and species survival plan coordinator for Komodo dragons.
The Sedgwick County Zoo has had this female and one other since 1993, when they were less than a year old. They have been laying eggs since 2000.
“We never had a male dragon at the zoo. There were no tramps that came wandering through,” said Nate Nelson, the zoo’s curator of amphibians, reptiles and fishes.
One of the Kansas zoo‘s females, Gaia, laid at least 17 eggs on the nights of May 19 and 20, 2007. The females can lay as many as 30 eggs at a time.
Because the English zoos had documented parthenogenesis, thApparently immaculate Komodos hatchede Sedgwick County Zoo checked to see whether the eggs were fertile. Only two of the 17 eggs were hatched — one on Jan. 31 and the other Feb. 1 — because the zoo doesn’t have room for more dragons, Nelson said.
One is 16 inches long; the other is 17 inches. Komodo dragons can living 20 to 40 years. Males can reach 10 feet long and weigh as much as 200 pounds; females grow to between 5 and 7 feet and weigh as much as 125 pounds.
Komodo dragons are endangered, with between 3,000 and 5,000 in the wild. Eighty live in 30 zoos in North America. Only six zoos in the nation breed the dragons.
___
source : http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080207/ap_on_fe_st/odd_komodo_dragons
On the Net:
Sedgwick County Zoo: http://www.scz.org/
Latest news from the Wae Wuul Protection Plan for Komodo Dragons January 17, 2008
Posted by ekologi in Uncategorized.Tags: Chester Zoo, community awareness, Komodo dragon, wae wuul
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Latest news from the Wae Wuul Protection Plan for Komodo Dragons
source from Chester Zoo’s Action for the Wild
http://www.actionforthewild.org/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&id=37
Posted: 02/07/2007 
The Wae Wuul Protection Plan is based on the island of Flores in Southeast Indonesia. In 2001, population densities of Komodo dragons on this island were estimated at 1 individual per 20 hectares. This is a marked decrease from surveys in 1991, probably caused by human-related pressure on natural habitats in the Wae Wuul Reserve, through poaching, cultivation of land and collection of firewood.
The 2006 Komodo dragon conservation programme commenced in the dry season in July 2006. Administration issues with the local authorities were dealt with in July, with staff from Komodo National Park and the Nature Resources Conservation Office working on a long term agreement regarding joint management of the Wae Wuul Reserve. A Non-Governmental Organisation, the Komodo Survival Programme, was formed early in 2007, requesting that the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria act as a supervisor of this Komodo dragon conservation project.
Field activities followed in August and September 2006 devoted to community awareness activities and patrolling of the Wae Wuul Reserve. Community awareness activities are vital for regular interaction with the members of the 8 villages living outside the reserve to show continuous commitment to conservation, to help minimise the levels of encroachment in Komodo dragon habitat and to explain the long term effects of intensive poaching on wildlife in the reserve. Lectures in the community awareness programme covered descriptions of the current status of the reserve and its wildlife, a review of policies against cultivation and exploitation of the reserve and an outline of the activities to promote conservation and monitoring. Soon after the community awareness programme, patrolling activities commenced, conducted solely by the villagers and representatives of the Indonesian Department of Forestry. These patrols took place on alternate days in September, along 5 patrolling paths. Throughout such patrols, the villagers recorded feral dogs, signs of hardwood cuttings, a fire along the reserve boundary, and goat and water buffalo herds within the reserve boundary. These results indicate a reduced human pressure compared to 2005, possibly indicating the effectiveness of patrolling activities in the last 2 years. The feral dogs still, however, pose a threat as they hunt deer, a prey species of the Komodo dragon.
It is hoped that once the Wae Wuul Protection Plan becomes established as a regular, annual initiative then such activities within the park boundaries will stop completely and Komodo dragon numbers will increase.
Peninjauan lapangan ke Pos Jaga Cagar Alam Wae Wuul January 17, 2008
Posted by ekologi in Uncategorized.Tags: biawak Komodo, cagar alam, komodo survival program, ksda ntt, perbaikan pos, pos jaga, wae wuul
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LAPORAN SINGKAT
Peninjauan lapangan ke Pos Jaga Cagar Alam Wae Wuul
16 Desember 2007.
Anggota tim :
M Jeri Imansyah (KSP)
Suprihatna (KSDA NTT)
Albert Berelaku (KSDA NTT)
Yohannes (KSDA NTT)
Cosmas Pandu (KSDA NTT)
David (Konsultan)
Perjalanan dimulai dari Labuan Bajo menuju pos jaga CA Wae Wuul melalui beberapa desa di sekitar kawasan CA Wae Wuul. Kegiatan ini dilakukan untuk meninjau kondisi pos jaga dan kondisi kawasan di sekitar pos jaga. Berikut beberapa temuan yang perlu dilaporkan dari hasil pengamatan di lapangan;
- Kondisi pos
Kondis pos jaga yang dibangun pada tahun 1996 sudah dalam keadaan rusak. Beberapa bagian pos sudah rusak parah dan perlu segera diperbaiki. Kerusakan tersebut adalah :
-
- Instalasi air seperti bak air sudah retak dan rusak parah, pipa banyak yang patah, bak sumber air terlalu pendek.
- Lantai retak-retak,
- Kamar mandi dan septiptank tidak berfungsi,
- Tidak terdapat ruag dapur,
- Plafon rusak parah,
- Instalasi listrik rusak parah,
- Ventilasi dan sirkulasi cahaya matahari kamar tidur tidak memadai,
- Rencana perbaikan
Beberapa hal perbaikan pos jaga yang menjadi prioritas adalah sebagai berikut;
– perbaikan instalasi air, termasuk perbaikan bak penampungan air dan menyediakan satu bak air atau saluran khusus untuk keperluan masyarakat sekitar pos jaga
– perbaikan lantai
– perbaikan dinding, termasuk pemindahan jendela dan perbaikan ventilasi
– perbaikan atap dan plafon
– perbaikan instalasi listrik
– penambahan teras
– penambahan dapur
– penambahan satu kamar tidur
– pemindahan kamar mandi
– perbaikan septiptank
– penambahan tanggul di belakang bangunan pos jaga
- Pelaksanaan perbaikan
Perbaikan pos jaga akan dilaksanakan dalam waktu dekat dengan mempertimbangkan kondisi cuaca (musim hujan) yang sangat mempengaruhi kondisi jalan (berlumpur dan licin) karena sangat mempengaruhi proses pengiriman bahan bangunan dan alat. Pelaksanaan kegiatan akan dikoordinasikan dengan BBKSDA NTT
QUICK REPORT : WAE WUUL NATURE RESERVE RANGER STATION VISITATION January 17, 2008
Posted by ekologi in Uncategorized.Tags: Komodo dragon, komodo survival program, ranger station, renovation, wae wuul
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QUICK REPORT
WAE WUUL NATURE RESERVE RANGER STATION VISITATION
In regard of Collaboration preparation between Komodo Survival Program and the Balai Besar Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam NTT.
A field trip to visit Wae Wuul Nature Reserve was conducted on December 16th, 2007, as part of our partnership with KSDA NTT to implement capacity building and conservation project of Komodo dragon and it’s environment on Flores. From the field trip, we identified several key findings that are important to implement.
- Renovation of Ranger Station.
Current ranger station is urgently to renovate as it is important to provide a more suitable condition for the rangers, volunteers, researchers, and stakeholders to utilize the station as basecamp of conservation works in WWNR.
- Reconstruction of zonation.
Most of the border marks (Pal, In Bahasa Indonesia) are missing. Thus the border in which separating nature reserve area and private land is unclear. This situation is could potentially causing a conflict between WWNR authority and local communities around the reserve area.
- Developing biodiversity and key species data base.
To date, no scientific information on biodiversity potential of WWNR is available as basic for the reserve authority to design and implement appropriate conservation and management strategies. Thus biodiversity assessment and documentation as well as developing data base are necessary to undertake.
- Developing specific study, monitoring and conservation strategies of Komodo dragon including the habitat.
Considering the habitat of Wae Wuul, a specific monitoring and conservation strategies of Komodo dragon and other key species, including the habitat should be considered to design. This requires a comprehensive assessment of potential and threats. Broad scale involvement of various stakeholders is necessary.
- Capacity building.
To enhance capacity and human resource skill of KSDA NTT staff in managing Komodo dragon and other key biodiversity in WWNR, capacity building activities, i.e trainings should be implemented. Specific trainings should be carried out base on the needs and priority that important to the management in WWNR.
Komodo dragon 
