Examining the consequences of tourism development on the habitat of Komodo dragons in Labuan Bajo

Tourism development in Labuan Bajo, Komodo National Park, has significantly overlapped with the habitat of the endangered Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), posing a threat to its conservation. A study found that 7,104.67 hectares of the dragon's habitat intersect with tourism areas, including the Golo Mori region and a 7.5-kilometer road, highlighting critical conflicts between human infrastructure and wildlife conservation. Using Maximum Likelihood Classification (MLC) in ArcGIS 10.3 and Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt), researchers analyzed land cover changes from 2016 to 2020, revealing a loss of 3,135.43 hectares of secondary dry forest due to agriculture and urban expansion. The findings underscore the urgent need for tourism planning that aligns with Komodo dragon conservation efforts to protect critical habitats and corridors.

Mahmud, A., Kusrini, M. D., Mardiastuti, A., & Prasetyo, L. B. (2024). Examining the consequences of tourism development on the habitat of Komodo dragons in Labuan Bajo. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1366(1), 12030. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1366/1/012030