Finke Gorge National Park
FaunaBlack Headed Goanna Clam Shrimp Denham Stick-insect Nasutitermes triodiae Orange Spider Wasp Pied Butcherbird Sand Goanna Scarlet Percher Shield Shrimp Spinifex Pigeon Western Bowerbird – Finke Gorge NP Yellow-faced Whip Snake
Commonly known as the Black Headed Goanna (Varanus tristis), there is two sub-species, V. tristis and V. t. orientalis (the latter one is lighter in colour and lacks the black head. They are also known as the Freckled Goanna or Freckled Monitor.
Widespread over much of northern Australia, they are usually found in the arid regions of Australia such as Central Australia.
Whilst goanna do feature in Aboriginal bush food diet, the Black-headed Goanna is not usually eaten by the Aṉangu people of Central Australia as they are believed to cause bad dreams.
An arboreal reptile, they are often found sheltering in tight spaces including tree the loose bark and tree hollows, as well as rocky crevices.
A shy and fast moving goanna it may cover up to one kilometre per day while searching for its diet of large insects, lizards, nestling birds as well as mouse sized mammals and marsupials.
More information in our Fauna > Reptiles > Black Headed Goanna.
- Scientific classification
- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Reptilia
- Order: Squamata
- Family: Varanidae
- Genus: Varanus
- Subgenus: Odatria
- Species: Varanus tristis
- Subspecies:
— V. tristis
— V. t. orientalis
Finke Gorge National ParkCamping & Picnic Area Boggy Hole Palm Valley Fauna Flora
FaunaBlack Headed Goanna Clam Shrimp Denham Stick-insect Nasutitermes triodiae Orange Spider Wasp Pied Butcherbird Sand Goanna Scarlet Percher Shield Shrimp Spinifex Pigeon Western Bowerbird – Finke Gorge NP Yellow-faced Whip Snake