It is taboo for menstruating women not to visit Komodo National Park located in Indonesia. But why? For the rangers on duty there, they will forbid menstruating women to visit the national park because these animals have a strong sense of smell and can smell the slightest bit of blood
This dragon lizard is very sensitive to the smell of human blood, which includes menstrual blood. It is said that these animals are able to smell blood for 10 kilometers.
If you are not careful, the smell of menstrual blood will be able to attract attention and make you its prey. The danger to this komodo dragon is that its saliva contains more than 50 types of bacteria that can be deadly in the blink of an eye to those it bites.
These animals are also able to eat anything including small and large animals such as buffalo, deer, and even humans. Komodo dragon is also able to run as far as 15km per hour to catch up with its prey.
These lizards are actually not aggressive, they only attack when they feel threatened. When it attacks, the animal does not eat directly but waits for its prey to become carcasses.
So, it is not surprising if these animals are attracted to the smell of blood that is not as fresh as menstrual blood. If you go to a national park, the caretaker will provide some wooden sticks as a tool to prevent these animals from approaching.
The national park does not have accommodation access for tourists as it is a location for dragon lizards to move freely in their area. For those of you who want to visit the Komodo National Park, there are some taboos other than menstruating women that need to comply with that is:
1. Do Not Go Alone
Never try to go to this national park alone. If you want to visit it, go in a group form and have the supervision of a licensed ranger. It is also important for you to know the trekking path built by rangers because if you do not follow it, you will probably walk in the path of a Komodo dragon.
2. Keep Distance
There was an incident where a tourist from Singapore was bitten by a Komodo dragon for trying to take a photo at close range. So when your ranger tells you about long-distance care with the animal, do not ignore it as this is for your safety.
When in an area that has dragon lizards, do not make sudden movements as it will be considered a threat and can make these animals attack you.
3. Run In ZigZag Pattern & Find Fenced Houses
If you are attacked by a dragon lizard, try to run in a zigzag pattern because these animals are able to run in a straight line and the movement can confuse them. And if you see a house that is fenced and has stairs, immediately climbs on it because these animals cannot climb. But avoid climbing trees because a young Komodo dragon can climb to attack you.
If you want to visit the national park as well, please inform the rangers before leaving so that they can control the situation and prevent some things from happening.
Sources: Indonesia.investments.com, Travel.tribunal.com