NATIONAL KOMODO PARK FINALIST IN NEW WORLD WONDERS SELECTION

Jakarta, July 24 (ANTARA) -The National Komodo Park in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara Province has been selected as a finalist in the New Seven Wonders of Nature campaign after defeating around 440 nominations from 220 countries.

"On July 21 2009, New 7 Wonders Foundation announced the National Komodo Park as one of the 28 finalists qualified to advance to the final stage (Third round)," Esthy Reko Astuty, director of the culture and tourism ministry's promotion facilities, said here recently.

The culture and tourism ministry as the official supporting committee of the National Komodo Park, urged the Indonesian people as well as the international community to vote for the park in the final competition.

The voting is organized online on the web (http://www.new7wonders.com) or by phone (phone number: +41 77 312 4041, with code 7717 for voting for Komodo National park.

The foundation will officially declare the theme parks eligible to be appointed as the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011.

The Komodo dragon theme park is located in a secluded island called "Komodo island" in Manggarai regency, Flores district at Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province.

Indonesia's Komodo National Park - made up of three rugged volcanic islands - is the last remaining natural habitat of the famed Komodo dragon, of which only 3,000 remain.

The island is a home to an endemic animal, called Komodo, which is believed the remnants of animals living in Jurassic period.

The Indonesian government established Komodo National Park in 1980 to protect the dragon.

The 500,000 acre reserve encompasses sparsely grassed mountains, tropical savannas, dense woodlands and white sandy beaches ? and its boundaries today extend to coral reefs and seagrass beds that provide habitat for more than 1,000 species of fish.