Climate change threatens Komodo dragons

Date:
September 17, 2020
Source:
University of Adelaide
Summary:
The world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, could be driven
to extinction by climate change unless significant measures to
intervene are taken soon.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
The world's largest lizard, the Komodo dragon, could be driven to
extinction by climate change unless significant measures to intervene
are taken soon.


==========================================================================
A new international study, led by the University of Adelaide and
Deakin University, has found that the impact of both global warming
and sea-level rise threatens the extinction of Komodo dragons, which
already have restricted habitats, and this must be better incorporated
into conservation strategies.

"Climate change is likely to cause a sharp decline in the availability
of habitat for Komodo dragons, severely reducing their abundance in a
matter of decades," says lead author Dr Alice Jones from the University
of Adelaide's School of Biological Sciences. "Our models predict local extinction on three of the five island habitats where Komodo dragons are
found today." The Komodo dragon, Varanus komodoensis, is the world's
most iconic lizard species which has existed on Earth for more than a
million years, but only an estimated 4000 individuals survive in the
wild. They are endemic to five islands in southeast Indonesia: Komodo,
Rinca, Nusa Kode and Gili Motang which are part of Komodo National Park,
and Flores, the fifth and largest island which has three nature reserves.

"Current-day conservation strategies are not enough to avoid species
decline in the face of climate change. This is because climate change will compound the negative effects of already small, isolated populations,"
says Dr Jones.

"Interventions such as establishing new reserves in areas that are
predicted to sustain high-quality habitats in the future, despite global warming, could work to lessen the effects of climate change on Komodo
dragons.



==========================================================================
This study, which is published in the journal Ecology and Evolution,
is the result of many years of fieldwork on the ecology and conservation
status of Komodo dragons.

"Using this data and knowledge in conservation models has provided a
rare opportunity to understand climate change impacts on Indonesia's exceptional but highly vulnerable biodiversity," says co-author Dr Tim
Jessop, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University.

Importantly, the research project involved close collaboration with the
Komodo National Park and the Eastern Lesser Sunda CenNOTtral Bureau for Conservation of Natural Resources.

"The severity and extent of human actions impacting Komodo dragon
populations, especially on Flores Island, are only just being realised,"
says co-author Deni Purwandana, Coordinator of the Komodo Survival
Program.

"Having an insight into future impacts of climate change provides
new possibilities to work with conservation agencies and local
communities to find on-ground solutions that will limit climate and
other threats to Komodo dragons and their habitats." The researchers say climate-change-informed decisions should be a common part of conservation practice.

"Our conservation models show that Komodo dragons on two protected
large islands are less vulnerable to climate change. However, even these
island habitats might not provide an adequate insurance policy for the
survival of the species," says Associate Professor Damien Fordham from
the University of Adelaide's Environment Institute.

"Conservation managers in coming decades may need to consider
translocating animals to sites where Komodo dragons have not been found
for many decades.

This scenario can be tested easily using our approach.

"Our research shows that without taking immediate action to mitigate
climatic change, we risk committing many range restricted species like
Komodo dragons to extinction."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Adelaide. Original
written by Crispin Savage. Note: Content may be edited for style and
length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Alice R. Jones, Tim S. Jessop, Achmad Ariefiandy, Barry W. Brook,
Stuart
C. Brown, Claudio Ciofi, Yunias Jackson Benu, Deni Purwandana,
Tamen Sitorus, Tom M. L. Wigley, Damien A. Fordham. Identifying
island safe havens to prevent the extinction of the World's
largest lizard from global warming. Ecology and Evolution, 2020
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6705 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200917105400.htm

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