First Record of Komodo Dragon Nesting Activity and HatchlingEmergence from North Flores, Eastern Indonesia

摘要

For wild varanid populations, basic measures of reproductive ecology, such as distributionand selection of nest sites, are difficult to obtain. To date, nest distributions and nesting behavior forKomodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) have only been reported from Komodo National Park. Herewe report the first record of V. komodoensis nesting activity and hatchling emergence on OntoloeIsland, off the north coast of Flores. This is a significant finding for it suggests that this relativelysmall but well protected island supports a viable population of V. komodoensis.