Komodo dragons are the world’s largest lizards (some measure over 10 feet and weigh as much as 176 lbs), yet ill-intentioned visitors to the Indonesian island of Komodo, one of the only places in the world where the animal can be found, managed to sneak some out.
A ring of lizard smugglers, not badly behaved tourists, allegedly stole dragons off the island and took them overseas to later sell for profit. According to The Washington Post, “nine men were arrested on suspicion of selling more than 40 Komodo dragons for about $35,000 each.” According to Tempo, “Police seized five Komodo dragons along with other animals mostly originating from eastern Indonesia, including pangolins, a wild cat and birds, such as cockatoos.”
