Are there not many of them? Is that why they are protected?

Indeed: Komodo dragons nowadays are only living on a few Indonesian islands. It is estimated that altogether there are still about 5000 surviving individuals. (My wife is Indonesian but hasn't seen one so far apart from a few in zoological gardens.) 1980 was built the "Komodo National Park" to protect the last exemplars. Yes, they are terrifying and spectacular but they have no chance against the most dangerous animal on earth ... the Homo sapiens.