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UPANG: The controversial planned exchange of Komodo dragons and Chinese Pandas has been called off as the management of the Komodo National Park in Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, confirmed on Saturday that the reptiles set to be exchanged would not come from the park.

Park chief Sustyo Iryono said that there had indeed been an agreement between RI and the Chinese government to exchange the rare animals, but the Indonesian reptile would be procured from the Bali Safari Park.

“There are two Komodos from the Bali Safari Park that will be exchanged with two Pandas from China,” Sustyo said.

The planned exchange had previously drawn protests from West Manggarai Regent Agustinus Dula, who feared that visitors might be lured away from the region.

He argued that the exchange would harm both local and national tourism and at the same time endanger the animals’ survival. Komodos, he said, would best survive naturally in their own habitat.