The latest project plan for the NPA’s citizen science Rosenberg’s Goanna Project will focus on studying the goanna’s genetics.

The change from tracking the goanna’s movements stems from an adjunct to the study in 2024 – 25 when a PhD student, Jason Dobry, began analysing goanna blood samples provided by the team. His results showed that genetics could hold the greatest potential to change the conservation of Rosenberg’s Goannas.

With Jason (now Dr Jason Dobry) added to the Goanna Project Committee, genetics has become the primary focus and the movements study shelved temporarily.

Preliminary genetic results suggested a possible taxonomic-level difference between the eastern and western occurrences of the goannas, and that there were two types of Rosenberg’s Goannas (Varanus rosenbergi) in the Naas Valley in Namadgi National Park, where most of the field work has been conducted.

If confirmed, the first result would likely lead to recognition under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act of a high threat status for the goannas in NSW, the ACT and Victoria. That listing could contribute significantly to protecting goannas from habitat loss.

The second result suggested that Rosenberg’s Goannas in the lower part of Naas Valley were genetically similar to those in Sydney and on Mount Ainslie in Canberra, but those living above 900 m were distinctly different. If confirmed, this would set a higher bar for conservation because each of the two forms would require conservation of at least five independent populations. At this stage, the high-elevation form of the goanna is known only from part of the Naas Valley.

To resolve these matters, the project needs fresh blood samples for more DNA sequencing and analysis from locations representing the eastern and western occurrences of Rosenberg’s Goannas. Eastern sites include the Naas Valley, Kosciuzsko National Park near Khancoban, and Kuring-Gai Chase National Park and adjoining reserves in Sydney.

Sites for the western locations are in South Australia and along the southern coastline of Western Australia. The project will also take samples in western NSW from a closely related species, V gouldii, as a benchmark to evaluate relative genetic distance between samples.

NPA commenced this citizen science research project in the summer of 2017-18 to better understand the ecological requirements of Rosenberg’s Goanna. Until now, research has involved trapping goannas, attaching GPS tracking packs, recording their movements, and recording hundreds of termite mounds used by breeding females. The results of the work will be important for the future management of Rosenberg’s goannas in the ACT and will be a basis for future studies.

Read the 2025 – 26 Project Plan