First one in five years apparently:Tourist pictured covered in blood after KOMODO DRAGON attack leaves him with ‘severe’ injuries to his legs Tourist ignoring warnings is viciously attacked by komodo dragon | GrindTV.com http://nypost.com/2017/05/04/tourist-gets-bit-taking-pictures-of-komodo-dragon/
Did you go to Rinca or Komodo when you were on Flores? Even if you go with a guide they allow you to get really close for pictures. In this case he seems to be completely to blame, but I imagine down the line someone will get bitten for trusting one of the rangers.
I've been to Rinca twice and Komodo once. The rangers have a stick to protect you But the point of the rangers (apart, I guess, from making money) is because they know how the dragons act whereas the tourists don't have a clue, and they will also be keeping an eye out for any other dragons which may be approaching from behind. It's not the dragon you can see which you need to worry about. If it were permitted to go walking alone on the islands then I imagine there would be a tourist death at least yearly. Both islands are in the national park, so you are actually required by law to have a guide with you. This chap was staying on Komodo in the ranger station, so he was both being stupid and breaking the law by wandering around on his own outside the immediate area of the station. When I read the first posted article it sounded like he was on Flores where you aren't required to have a guide - and in that case I'd have more symapthy - but in the other it says he was on Komodo. There may be some journalist errors of course.
As far as I could tell the main job of the ranger was to complain bitterly the entire time because we had the temerity to insist on doing the long walk rather than the shorter loop. It certainly wasn't to point out any interesting wildlife; he got really pissed off when I kept stopping to look at birds and eventually literally left me and walked off with the rest of the group, which I think calls into question his commitment to my protection.
ha, I got left behind by my guide because I was looking at birds too! Brilliant. Was this on Rinca? I think on Rinca they get so overloaded with tourists that it is better (for the guides) to do the short walks.
