NPA’s Rosenberg’s goanna citizen science program has been given a great boost with a $20,000 grant from the ACT Government.

The grant, via the Office of Nature Conservation in the City and Environment Directorate, will fund DNA analysis of blood samples from Rosenbergs in the ACT and nearby NSW to determine if these goannas are a distinct species or sub-species. 

If this is the case, the ACT Rosenbergs could be listed as a Threatened species under federal legislation and receive extra legal protection.

Goanna team leader Don Fletcher with one of the new CB radios

The grant comes on top of a successful ‘Goanna Guardians’ fundraising campaign late last year to cover many of the other project costs. So far the funds have been used to purchase eight CB radios for field workers to keep in touch. The team will also purchase transmitters for traps that are used to collect goannas so that valuable data about their habits, movements and blood samples can be obtained before the goannas are released again. The funds will also cover our fuel costs this year, which could be up to $8,000.

 See https://www.npaact.org.au/goanna-project for more news on our goanna project