Tom Way's Image

Tom Way (UK) watches the clash of two Komodo dragons through clouds of golden sand.

Tom’s intention, as his dinghy drifted towards the shore, was to get close enough to photograph the two Komodo dragons resting on the sandy beach. Suddenly, there was an explosive whip of tails as the huge lizards fought before parting and going their separate ways. A point had been proved by the heavier of the two and peace returned.

‘There was something extremely prehistoric about this titanic battle as the claws grated against the scales,’ says Tom. ‘I felt like it was almost a snapshot back to a bygone age.’

With fewer than 1,400 adults left in the world, the Komodo dragon is now listed as Endangered. Its range is limited to just a handful of Indonesian islands and rising sea levels submerge its habitat and threaten its survival.