Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Komodo dragons have toxic bites, which can prove fatal if not treated quickly 
 
 A tourist has been attacked by a Komodo dragon in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province. 
 
 Park rangers said the incident was "the first in the past five years". 
 
 Native to a small group of Indonesian islands, Komodo dragons are the world's largest lizards and have venomous bites. 
 
 The 50-year-old victim, identified as Singaporean Lon Lee Alle, had reportedly ignored warnings not to get too close to take pictures. 
 
 He was then "severely bitten" on his left leg. 
 
 "A Komodo doesn't like to be disturbed when eating. He must have been too close," Komodo National Park chief Sudiyono told the Jakarta Post. 
 
 Mr Sudiyono said the incident had taken place away from designated safe areas identified by park rangers. 
 
 Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The unfortunate incident took place away from designated viewing areas 
 
 "The tourist had stayed with locals for three days to save costs," he said. 
 
 "Never risk your safety by staying with locals and watching Komodo dragons without an official guide, for the sake of your budget." 
 
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 After sustaining a bloody wound, Mr Alle was whisked away from the crowds and rushed by military speed boat to a nearby medical centre. 
 
 He is currently receiving treatment. ||||| A 50-year-old tourist from Singapore was attacked by a Komodo dragon in West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, on Wednesday morning. 
 
 Lon Lee Alle, who was in the area to visit the Komodo National Park, was severely injured by a bite on his left leg. 
 
 According to the park’s head, Sudiyono, Alle was initially watching several Komodos eating pigs and goats belonging to villagers. He approached the animals to take pictures, ignoring locals’ warning that he should not go too close. 
 
 “He must have been too close. A Komodo doesn’t like to be disturbed when eating,” Sudiyono told The Jakarta Post. 
 
 Locals immediately helped pull Alle away from the crowd of Komodos and rushed him to the nearby medical center where he got first aid. Alle was then taken to the Siloam General Hospital using a military speed boat. 
 
 “This is the first incident of human being bitten by a Komodo dragon in the past five years,” Sudiyono said. 
 
 (Read also: Locals reap benefits of Komodo cruise boom) 
 
 He added that the Singaporean had stayed with locals for three days to save costs. 
 
 “The incident took place away from the area set by us where tourists are allowed to observe Komodos. I also appeal to all tourists to take guides with you when wandering around to see Komodo dragons. Never risk your safety by staying with locals and watching Komodos without an official guide only for the sake of your budget,” Sudiyono said. (bbs)
– When traveling to unfamiliar lands, it pays to listen to the locals—especially when you're on the island of Komodo and they're telling you to stay away from the dragons. A 50-year-old Singaporean tourist who failed to heed that advice was severely bitten on the left leg after getting too close to the animals while they were feeding, the BBC reports. Authorities on the Indonesian island say the man, Lon Lee Alle, was taking photographs of the lizards and had ignored villagers' warnings. "He must have been too close. A Komodo doesn't like to be disturbed when eating," the chief of Komodo National Park tells the Jakarta Post. The park chief says that to save money, Alle had been staying with local villagers and had been observing the Komodo dragons, the world's biggest lizards, away from the official area set up for tourists to watch the animals. The Post reports that residents were able to drag him away from the dragons, and he was rushed to a hospital on another island in a military speedboat. The animals have venomous bites and, in rare cases, have been known to kill people. The park chief says this is the first Komodo attack in five years. (A ban on treats "angered" the dragons.)