The beasts, the largest reptiles in the world, can grow to 3 metres in length and weigh up to 90kg. The bite of a Komodo Dragon can be fatal if not treated quickly.
According to witnesses of the attack, the lizard had gotten only a few feet away from them before it struck.
Last year, there were talks of banning tourists from visiting the island in a bid to protect the species, however Indonesia scrapped the plans and said they would instead limit visitor numbers and raise entry prices to create a "premium destination."
Rinca Island Indonesia is home to 1000 of the remaining Dragons in the world. Photo / Frajuddin Mudzakk, Unsplash
In September the Indonesian government revealed plans to develop the Jurassic Park-style tourist attraction in Komodo National Park, home to around 4000 Komodo dragons whose ancestors can be traced back about a million years in the region.
It turned heads after the lead architects released a video rendering of the proposed attraction, complete with composer John Williams' stirring Jurassic Park theme.
The government also flagged a pricey new membership system that would cost tourists $1000 per person to visit the national park.
The move was designed to help fund conservation efforts.
Komodo National Park spans Rinca, Komodo and Padar islands, along with a series of smaller islands, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve.
The protected site is the only natural habitat of the venomous Komodo dragon, which can grow up to 3m, and each year attracts thousands of tourists hoping to see the remarkable creatures up close.
Residents and local groups told the ABC they had not been consulted on the development, and environment groups have staged multiple protests against it.
"We demand the government to be completely transparent regarding its construction and immediately consult the public beforehand," local business community leader Aloysius Suhartim Karya said.
A photo of park contstruction workers versus a dragon found viral fame. Photo / via @gregoriusafioma
In October a photo of a large dragon halting construction work went viral on instagram. Gregorius Afioma, whose photo gained almost 300k likes, said it shows "perhaps the first truck to enter the Komodo dragon conservation area since the Komodo dragon became the world's attention in 1912."
The ministry told the Jakarta Post it would deploy 10 rangers to the construction site daily, to avoid encounters between construction staff and the dragons.
Tour guides also shared concerns that the park had less to do with conservation and more to do with financial gain.
