"Tourists to Indonesia will likely be barred from the popular Komodo Island in January 2020 — a decision seemingly impelled by recent reports of Komodo dragons being stolen and smuggled overseas, potentially for dubious medicinal purposes, according to local media.

The temporary shutdown, announced Friday, is expected to give officials in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia’s southernmost province, an opportunity to increase the Komodo dragon population and preserve their habitats, according to Tempo newspaper. Discussions about closing the island date back to at least January, when officials said it could close for a full year.

Komodo Island is one of the three larger land masses that make up Komodo National Park. The other two islands, one of which also features the animals, are expected to remain open."

Michael Brice-Saddler reports for the Washington Post April 2, 2019. [2]