Animals of Indonesia
By Fezan and Jake
The Komodo Dragon
The Komodo dragon also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesia islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang, and Padar. A member of the monitor lizard family, it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of 3 metres in rare cases and weighing up to approximately 70 kilograms.
Sumatran Tiger
The Sumatran Tiger is found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra in habitat ranging from mountainous forests to lowland forests. It is believed that these animals became isolated to Sumatra when rising sea levels smothered the land, causing the formation of islands in the region.
Sumatran Tigers are the smallest of all tigers, and their size assists them in navigating the dense, tropical forests in which they hunt.
Being solitary animals, they are highly adapted to ambush hunting, using their stripes as camouflage against the dappled light of the forest floor. Sumatran Tigers will lie in wait to prey upon wild boar, birds, tapir, fish and deer.
The Orangutan
Their hair is typically reddish-brown, instead of the brown or black hair typical of chimpanzee and gorillas. Males and females differ in size and appearance. Dominant adult males have distinctive cheek pads and produce long calls that attract females and intimidate rivals. Younger males do not have these characteristics and resemble adult females. Fruit is the most important food of an orangutan's diet; however, the apes will also eat vegetation, bark, honey, insects and even bird eggs. They can live over 30 years in both the wild and captivity. They are found in Sumatra.