Vote for Komodo, save one of world`s rarest species

Once they are extinct they will never appear on this earth again and you will lose this world`s rarest species, the komodo dragon, Indonesia`s giant lizard. So, if you care about it, vote for it. Your vote will safeguard it and usher it into one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

"Therefore, we request the people at home and the international community to vote for the Komodo National Park so that it will win the contest as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature," Director for Culture and Tourism Development Marketing Development, Syamsul Lussa, said.

Indeed, the Indonesian government is doing its best to help promote one of the world`s ancient heritage so that it would become one of the winners in the New Seven Wonders of Nature that would be announced in 2011.

The Komodo National Park was built in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon (veranus Komodoensis) which is a venomous species of lizards that inhabit the islands of Komodo, Rinca, and Padar, as well as numerous other smaller islands in Indonesia`s East Nusa Tenggara province.

It covers a total surface area (marine and land) of 1,817 km (proposed extensions would bring the total surface area to 2,321 km2). As well as home to the komodo dragon, the park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer.

According to the official website of the Komodo National Park, the goals for the park have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. In 1986, the park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which is an indication of the park`s biological importance.

A research result by the Nature Conservation Agency of the park revealed that the population of the giant lizards is decreasing so that the world rare animal species is facing extinction. The very rare animal species have become increasingly on the brink of extinction because of illegal hunting by highly irresponsible people, just like the illegal hunting of deer and boars.

There was a time when the giant lizards were taken by a number of zoo operators in Indonesia as a new collection, but eventually these big animals did not develop or grow well as in their own habitat.

Thus, the world community needs to help preserve their habitat and population by bringing them to the world`s attention and include them into one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

"We are hoping for the support of the entire Indonesian people and the world community to vote for the Komodo National Park so that it would be included in the seven wonders of the world," Gulam Husein of the East Nusa Tenggara Tourism and Culture Agency, said.

The voting is organized on-line on the web (http://www.new7wonders.com) or by phone (phone number: +41 77 312 4041, with code 7717 for voting for Komodo National park.
Tourism Marketing Director General Sapta Nirwandar said meanwhile that the Indonesian government was launching a `Vote for Komodo Park` campaign which was
integrated with the "Visit Indonesia Year 2009" program.

"We hope a quarter of Indonesia`s population which totals over 230 million people will support the program and vote for the park," he said.

Thank God, Indonesia`s Komodo National Park is now among the five finalists in a contest for inclusion in the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

"The Komodo National Park ranked fourth on Friday (July 24) after successfully brushing aside Malaysia`s Sipadan Island and Germany`s Black Forest," head of the East Nusa Tenggara tourism, arts and culture office Ansgerius Takalapeta quoted director general of marketing at the Arts and Tourism Ministry Sapta Nirwandar as saying on Saturday.

The park became one of the finalists in the contest next to the Amazone Forest in Brazil, Bu Tinah Island in the United Arab Emirates, Galapagos Island in Ecuador and Iguanzu Falls River also in Brazil.

Takalapeta asked the Indonesian people and the world community to continue to promote the Komodo National Park to make it eligible for recognition as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011.

"We hope the entire Indonesian nation everywhere to vote for Komodo Island so it will be declared as one of the New Seven Wonders. I t is the voters who will decide," he said.

The Amazone Forest and Black Forest were the strong contenders in the contest with the park which is believed to be the remnants of animals living in Jurassic period.
"We still have time until 2011 to vote for Komodo Island in the contest for the New Seven Wonders. Therefore, don`t waste your time because your vote in the contest will play a decisive role," he said.

"Earlier, Komodo Island became one of the 28 finalists chosen among 77 nominees by a panel of experts. Also there were 261 landmarks in the world nominated as one of the Seven Wonders," he said.

On July 21 2009, New 7 Wonders Foundation announced the National Komodo Park as one of the 28 finalists qualified to advance to the final stage (Third round).
The foundation will officially declare the theme parks eligible to be appointed as the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011.

Indonesia`s Komodo National Park - made up of three rugged volcanic islands - is the last remaining natural habitat of the famed Komodo dragon.