Australian Reptiles

By: Hunter Blommer

Saltwater Crocodile» The Saltwater Crocodile is the

earths largest crocodilian. An average male crocodile measures 17 feet long and usually over 1000 pounds, but crocodiles measuring over 23 feet and weighing over 2000 pounds are not uncommon. Most of these animals live to be 70 years old. They populate most of northern Australia and eastern India and southeast Asia.

Eastern Brown Snake» This is the second most

venomous snake in the world. It is found mainly on the eastern and northern coasts of Australia, but it can be found mostly anywhere. This snake ranges in color variation. It can be grey, tan, brown, or black, and have pattern variations. It grows to be 1.5 – 2 meters long.

Perentie» Perenties are the largest

monitor lizard in Australia. They can reach over 2 meters long. They have a long thin neck, flattened head and strong tail. They also have several backward curved teeth to grip whatever their eating. Their diet is mostly turtle eggs, insects, and other lizards including younger perenties. They can be found in western coastal Australia.

Red Bellied Black Snake» The red bellied snake has a

glossy black back and a bright red underside. Their average length is 1.5 – 2 meters. They live close to creek and river banks. They are highly venomous and when encountered potentially dangerous. Their diet consists of frog reptiles and small mammals. They live all over the east and southeastern coast of Australia.

Fijian Crested Iguana» These lizards can grow to be

70 – 80 centimeters long and 300 – 350 grams. Their skin color is emerald green and they have white bands down their body. They also have a very distinctive crest. This Reptile is highly endangered. There is only an estimated 4000 left in the world. They are very vulnerable on the forest floor.

Rusty Monitor» The rusty monitor is a type of

goanna. It grows up to 60 cm long. There's 2 types of this species, the northern and eastern type. The rusty monitor is found in coastal mangroves and paperback forests. It’s a tree dwelling lizard. It lives in hollow limbs and holes in the trees. It is listed as rare but not endangered.

Tiger Snake» The tiger snake is found in

southern and eastern Australia. They grow to about a meter long and have stripe markings. The tiger snake is venomous and will attack if disturbed. They are also very territorial. They feed on frog, fish, birds, and small mammals.

Canopy Goanna» The canopy goanna is a

slender monitor that lives in the tropical rainforest of north eastern Australia. Not very much is known about this Reptile since it was discovered only a few years ago and is very elusive to capture. Steve Irwin was the first person ever to capture canopy goannas and mate them in captivity to study their behaviors.

Irwin's Turtle» Irwin’s turtle was named after

Steve Irwin who discovered it in the late eighties. This turtle is very rare and is only found in one river system. This turtle is also very special. It has a gill like system that filters air so it can stay underwater for very long periods at a time. Irwin’s turtle is believed to be going extinct though out of 77 turtle caught only 5 were males. It is estimated only 4000 turtles are left in the world.