Gould's Goanna
Gould's GoannaGould's GoannaGould's GoannaGould's Goanna

Gould's Goanna

Varanus gouldii

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Ningaloo Marine Park
18 Verified records at Ningaloo Marine Park
March Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The sand goanna (Varanus gouldii), also known commonly as Gould's monitor, the racehorse goanna, and the sand monitor, is a species of large Australian monitor lizard in the family Varanidae. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Gould's Goanna sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park, based on 18 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Ningaloo Marine Park

Perentie
LC Endemic

Perentie

🌅 Crepuscular Reptile

Varanus giganteus

20–30% · Possible
Ridgetail Monitor
LC Endemic

Ridgetail Monitor

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Varanus acanthurus

10–20% · With luck
Black-headed Monitor
LC

Black-headed Monitor

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Varanus tristis

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

20–30
Jan
40–50
Feb
40–50
Mar
<5
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
10–20
Jul
<5
Aug
20–30
Sep
30–40
Oct
30–40
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
2 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
3 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
4 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
5 Grampians National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
6 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Gould's Goanna in Ningaloo Marine Park?

About 19% of wildlife watchers report a Gould's Goanna sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park, based on 18 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Gould's Goanna in Ningaloo Marine Park?

March has the highest sighting rate for Gould's Goanna in Ningaloo Marine Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Ningaloo Marine Park