Komodo island — home to the only wild Komodo Dragons in the world — is closing to tourists for a year, according to local media reports.

The news comes after police busted a ring of lizard smugglers last month that were going to sell 41 Komodo Dragons.

Komodo Dragons are a protected species and considered to be the largest living lizard in the world.

Their population in the wild is thought to number around just 6,000.

Indonesia's famous Komodo island (home of the Komodo Dragon) will likely close to tourists after cops busted a ring of lizard smugglers last month.

According to Indonesia's Tempo newspaper, the government will temporarily close the popular tourist attraction in January 2020. A reopening date has not been announced.

During the closure, conservationists will examine the lizards' food supply, work on preserving endemic plant species, and survey the natural environment. Conservation authorities hope that the closure will help grow the Komodo Dragon population.

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The closure was announced after the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry revealed that it had busted a smuggling ring that was going to sell 41 Komodo Dragons. The lizards were selling for about $35,000 (500 million rupiah) each.

Komodo dragons are very valuable on the black market. REUTERS / Beawiharta

Komodo Dragons are a protected species and considered to be the largest living lizard in the world. They are capable of growing up to 10 feet long and weighing up to 200 pounds. They have poisonous saliva and can be dangerous — but the World Animal Foundation estimates there are only about 6,000 left in the wild, all concentrated in Indonesia's Komodo National Park.