Zurich/Switzerland — A young Indonesian woman has made it her mission to promote Komodo, one of the 28 Official Finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature campaign—and in doing so, gets up close and personal with fierce Komodo dragons.
Zeby Febrina, an animal lover since childhood, has been campaigning fervently for the lush homeland islands that make up Komodo National Park, the most important habitat for the dragons. The giant lizards can reach three meters or almost 10 feet in length and weigh up to 70 kg or 150 lbs, and their saliva contains toxic bacteria. Zeby says, “My goal in volunteering for the New7Wonders of Nature Finalist Komodo is to raise awareness of the endangered dragons because they are fascinating prehistoric monsters. People everywhere: we need to appreciate and protect the natural world around us, celebrate our planet’s diversity and keep the world in balance!” The former model recently visited the Jakarta school attended by U.S. President Barack Obama, where she called upon the students there to vote for both Komodo and the American Grand Canyon, also one of the 28 Official New7Wonders of Nature Finalists. Zeby calls her support of the fierce dragons “my destiny” and has been travelling throughout Indonesia to encourage people of all ages to discover the magic of the Komodo dragons that so moves her, and to vote for Komodo in the global campaign.