Are Dragons Priceless or Pricey?

Story by Christopher Southerland Jr. Photos Courtesy of Newsela

DEC. 16, 2019: Let’s take a trip to Komodo Island—do you have $1,000? You might be saying no because that’s a lot to pay for one trip, but this price is for a membership to go to the island multiple times and it’s good for one year. We are all lucky because at first Komodo Island was going to be closed and we weren’t going to be able to see the Komodo Dragons ever again.  But the head of Komodo Island, Viktor Bungtilu thought of the local economy and how much money would be lost if the island closed down. 

If you’re like me and live in the United States of America then it’s a long trip to Komodo Island, which is located in Indonesia. But who wouldn’t want to see these vulnerable creatures? They are vulnerable because of fire and tourism. Humans are destroying these animals’ habitats and its not helpful to Komodo Dragons.  There are estimated to be only 5,700 Komodo Dragons left on Komodo Island, so you should try to see them in case they go extinct. 

These beautiful creatures can be tamed but can’t be good pets for ethical reasons. These animals are amazing because believe it or not they are good swimmers. Another fun fact is that they can eat up to 80 percent of their body weight in one sitting! They also can’t be good pets for safety reasons—Komodo Dragons are carnivores and can kill you or eat you. So what are you waiting for? Buy me a ticket and let’s go to Komodo Island. 

Christopher Sutherland Jr. is a 5th grade scholar at Friendship Woodridge International School.