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Dampier Peninsula Goanna (Varanus sparnus)

The Dampier Peninsula Goanna is a very small monitor lizard recorded from the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley, where it is associated with pindan shrubland on pindan soils over alluvial or sandstone deposits. Its burrowing behaviour and very limited known range make careful pre-clearance checks important. It is listed as DBCA Priority 1 in Western Australia.

Conservation status

Western Australia, WA Threatened and Priority Fauna List: Priority 1.

Seasonal considerations

Seasonal activity, breeding and movement months are not known. Use the planning row as a general precaution, not as a species-specific seasonal window.

Breeding timing: Not recorded.

Survey timing: No species-specific survey season is recorded.

The month values in the planning row cover the full year and do not indicate known seasonal activity.

  • Survey and pre-clearance planning: General planning window only. Schedule habitat checks before disturbance; no preferred months are known for this species.

Identification: Appearance and size

This is a diminutive goanna with a plain reddish-brown appearance. Its diagnostic features are known, but field identification in variable conditions is not well documented.

It has an elongate body, short limbs, a relatively less robust head and body, and a short, ridged, circular, prehensile tail. Its reddish-brown dorsum has widely scattered small black spots.

The diagnosis gives a snout-vent length under 120 mm. The Western Australian Museum reports a maximum known total size of 23 cm and weight of 16 g.

Identification: Similar species

Varanus brevicauda is a similar species. Varanus sparnus is more elongate, with shorter limbs, a less robust head, body and tail, and enlarged squarish scales on the front of the arms that are not encircled by granules.

Identification: Field signs

The species has been observed excavating beneath hard structures, such as flat pieces of wood. Disturbance beneath an object may warrant a cautious check, but it is not a diagnostic sign unique to this species.

Distribution: Known range

The known range is restricted to the Dampier Peninsula in the western Kimberley region of Western Australia. Occurrence records indicate few mapped locations.

The Reptile Database gives the distribution as Western Australia and identifies Coloumb Point on the Dampier Peninsula as the type locality. Atlas of Living Australia records show 11 Western Australian records at eight distinct 0.1-degree locations, between latitudes -17.9 and -16.9 and longitudes 122.1 and 123. Records outside Western Australia were excluded from this summary as likely errors.

Distribution: Western Australian status

The Kimberley is the WA region for this species. It is listed as Priority 1 on the DBCA Threatened and Priority Fauna List dated 1 July 2025. This is a DBCA priority category, not a listing under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. No national listing is given.

Habitat: Recorded habitat

The species is associated with pindan shrubland and its underlying deposits.

Its habitat is broadly classed as pindan shrubland on pindan soil over a plain, associated with alluvial or sandstone deposits.

Habitat: Vegetation structure

The recorded vegetation includes low Corymbia trees over tall open scrub of Acacia monticola, A. colei and A. eriopoda, above mixed open grassland. It is not known how consistently this vegetation structure is used across the species' range.

Foraging habitat: Foraging information

The species' diet and foraging locations have not been documented.

Diet, prey and feeding behaviour are not recorded. Avoid assuming a particular food source or foraging microhabitat when assessing a site.

Foraging habitat: Site assessment

Where suitable pindan shrubland or associated deposits occur, retain habitat features for assessment rather than relying on an assumed feeding area. Site-specific ecological advice may be needed because foraging requirements are poorly known.

Breeding habitat: Breeding information

Breeding habitat and timing are poorly known. The Reptile Database records the species as egg-laying, based on manual imputation.

Confirmed nesting sites, clutch size, breeding season and incubation details are not recorded.

Breeding habitat: Precaution

Do not assign a breeding season or presume that a particular soil or vegetation feature is a nest site. Treat potential habitat cautiously during works and seek species-specific advice if a suspected nest or animal is encountered.

Sheltering habitat: Reported shelter behaviour

The species has been observed excavating beneath hard structures. Other shelter types and the full range of sheltering sites are not known.

It is a highly active burrower and has excavated beneath hard structures, including flat pieces of wood and a heating stone. Such structures are not necessarily occupied.

Sheltering habitat: Potential site features

During site checks, note hard objects and structures within or beside pindan habitat that could conceal an animal or excavation. Check cautiously and do not treat an unoccupied-looking space as proof that the species is absent.

Threats: Known information gaps

Specific threats to this species have not been identified. Its DBCA Priority 1 status reflects that it is poorly known and recorded from few locations.

The DBCA Priority 1 category describes the species as poorly known, known from few locations and not known from conservation lands.

Threats: Works-site precaution

Avoid presenting possible impacts as established species-specific threats. As a precaution, identify and minimise disturbance to suitable habitat, and record any observations or evidence encountered during works.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Detectability and a validated survey method are not established. The species' burrowing and movement behaviour support a cautious, habitat-led search.

Review the project footprint against the Dampier Peninsula and the known Kimberley range. Check for pindan shrubland, pindan soils and associated alluvial or sandstone deposits. Do not assume the species is absent because no records are mapped.

Survey methodology: 2. Habitat inspection

Have a suitably experienced ecologist inspect potential habitat and note vegetation structure, substrate and hard structures. Search carefully around objects where excavation may occur, without assuming that any burrow or disturbed soil belongs to this species.

Survey methodology: 3. Encounter and recording

The animal has been described as highly active and constantly moving during observations, but detection rates and survey timing are not known. Record the location, habitat, photographs where appropriate, and any observed behaviour; confirm identification with a qualified herpetologist.

Vegetation associations: Acacia, mulga or brigalow

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

The recorded vegetation includes low Corymbia trees over tall open scrub of Acacia monticola, A. colei and A. eriopoda, above mixed open grassland.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: WA.

Habitat use: general

Attribution gap: No sentence-level reference is attached to the original profile block. Review the profile bibliography; this candidate is not source-verified.

Vegetation associations: Shrubland

Its habitat is broadly classed as pindan shrubland on pindan soil over a plain, associated with alluvial or sandstone deposits.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: WA.

Habitat use: general

Attribution gap: No sentence-level reference is attached to the original profile block. Review the profile bibliography; this candidate is not source-verified.

Vegetation associations: Tussock grassland

The recorded vegetation includes low Corymbia trees over tall open scrub of Acacia monticola, A. colei and A. eriopoda, above mixed open grassland.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: WA.

Habitat use: general

Attribution gap: No sentence-level reference is attached to the original profile block. Review the profile bibliography; this candidate is not source-verified.

Ecosystem associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific ecosystem association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Soil and substrate associations: Alluvial flats and floodplains

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

The Dampier Peninsula Goanna is a very small monitor lizard recorded from the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley, where it is associated with pindan shrubland on pindan soils over alluvial or sandstone deposits.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: WA.

Habitat use: general

Attribution gap: No sentence-level reference is attached to the original profile block. Review the profile bibliography; this candidate is not source-verified.

Water and wetland associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific water association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Fauna records and mapped habitat: Not yet analysed

Record locations can be overlaid with mapping, but record frequency alone does not measure habitat preference. No species is excluded from desktop assessments by this analysis.

No quality-controlled record-to-map analysis has been completed for this species. The existing generalised distribution dots and indicative range polygons have not been treated as precise occurrence coordinates.

A defensible run needs dated, independently attributable records, coordinate uncertainty, duplicate and captive-record checks, layer versions and regional scope. Preference and absence require additional survey-effort and detection evidence.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: No supported exclusion recorded

Not recorded is not the same as cannot occur. Low suitability, resident habitat, breeding habitat and occasional movement are different conclusions.

This library has not established a vegetation, ecosystem or soil-type exclusion for this species. This does not mean all habitat is suitable; the evidence needed to justify an exclusion has not been assembled.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: Before using a negative association

  • Confirm the taxon, geographic region, life stage and habitat function covered by the evidence.
  • Check survey methods, season, repeated effort and detectability before interpreting non-detection.
  • Investigate credible contradictory records and microhabitats absent from broad mapping.
  • Do not convert a missing map class, low record count or failed data request into species absence.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Plan and brief

Plan works around the limited known range and uncertainty in survey information. Seek qualified ecological advice before clearing potential habitat.

Check the footprint for suitable pindan habitat and review available records. Brief clearing crews and spotter catchers on the species' small size, reported burrowing behaviour and the need to check carefully beneath hard structures.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Survey and mark

Arrange a site assessment by a suitably experienced ecologist before disturbance where potential habitat is present. Mark areas or features requiring avoidance or further inspection, and ensure the clearing sequence allows controlled checking.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Prepare response

Agree in advance who will stop work, assess an encounter and contact the relevant fauna specialist. No species-specific handling protocol is established, so use approved reptile handling and fauna response procedures.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Clear in a controlled sequence

Proceed cautiously in potential habitat and keep a clear response pathway for any animal or suspected shelter encountered.

Use the agreed clearing sequence and keep the fauna spotter catcher or ecologist present where required by the project plan. Inspect hard structures and their bases carefully before moving or removing them.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop and assess

If a goanna or possible shelter is found, pause disturbance in the immediate work area and allow a qualified person to assess it. Do not assume that a small animal or excavation is harmless or that the species can be identified without confirmation.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Record observations

Record the location, date, habitat and circumstances of any encounter, and follow the project reporting process. Avoid unnecessary handling or disturbance while the response is arranged.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Follow up encounters

After an encounter or habitat disturbance, follow the agreed fauna response and reporting procedures and retain records for ecological review.

Document the outcome of any animal assessment, including identification and any relocation or other action directed by the qualified fauna specialist. No species-specific translocation procedure is established.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Review the work area

Have the ecologist review the affected area for further observations or features requiring management before work resumes. Report records through the project process and to relevant authorities where required.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore habitat features

Species-specific rehabilitation methods are not documented. Where practicable, rehabilitation should aim to re-establish the recorded habitat structure and substrate.

Where rehabilitation is required, use the site-specific ecological plan to restore pindan soils and the locally appropriate vegetation structure, including low trees, open scrub and mixed open grassland where these were present before disturbance.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Monitor and adapt

Record rehabilitation actions and inspect outcomes as directed by the project ecologist. Do not claim that a particular planting or shelter treatment benefits this species unless supported by site-specific advice or further evidence.

Sources