Poachers shut Dragon island

INDONESIA’S Komodo Island will be closed to tourists next year because hunters are stealing the giant lizards.

It comes after police uncovered a smuggling ring that stole 41 komodo dragons, pictured, in a month, selling them overseas for £27,000 each. Authorities caught up with the smugglers last month after they offered five baby Komodos for sale on Facebook.

The poachers were also selling dozens of other animals including bearcats, cockatoos and cassowaries, often referred to as the world’s deadliest bird.

Next year’s closure of Komodo Island will give the Indonesian government time to increase its conservation efforts on the island.

Komodo dragons can grow up to 10ft long and weigh up to 200lb. There are 6,000 left in the wild, all in Indonesia’s Komodo National Park. It spans 29 islands, of which only Komodo will be closed.